


Petals and Sketches

by DValkyrie



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Drug Dealing, Drug Use, F/F, Smoking, florist and tattoo artist!au, mentions of kotoumi rinpana and nicomaki, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:32:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 93,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5719471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DValkyrie/pseuds/DValkyrie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Florist & Tattoo Artist!AU. One runs a flower shop, the other a tattoo parlour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Broken Reflection

**Author's Note:**

> There needs to be more Florist/Tattoo Artist!AUs out there.

Japanese winter was never as kind as foreigners make it out to be. The bitterness of the cold combined with harsh winds made it very uncomfortable to walk through.  
  
The green-eyed girl mentally regretted selling her car, looking on at the vehicles humming down the road, envious of the heaters inside of them. But she simply huffed and slugged her bag higher up onto her shoulder. She could see her breath now, and it was worrisome.  
  
Nozomi _hated_ the cold. Everything about it she despised. Even snow. She folded her arms and trudged up the stairs to her apartment, quietly cursing the weather for not letting up.  
  
Once the door was open, she threw herself inside and slammed it shut. The warmth instantly engulfed her, and Nozomi sighed: pure bliss.  
  
"I'm home," she called out, and took off her shoes. There was a further wave of relief that crashed over her body.  
  
It was a long day at the shop, and her back was aching from constantly leaning over.  
  
"Welcome home," a voice called back from the kitchen.  
  
While Nozomi took off her jacket, there was an enticing smell coming her way.  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi smiled, making her way into her tiny kitchen.  
  
There was her partner, In the frilly joke apron she had bought for her last birthday, standing over the stove with a pair of tongs.  
  
The blonde turned around, walking up to the green-eyed girl and kissing her on the lips.  
  
“You’re just in time, the yakiniku is almost done.”  
  
“You’re an angel, Elichi,” Nozomi kissed back, then Eli turned on her heel and went back to the stove.  
  
“Was it busy today?”  
  
“I only had three clients, but training Rin is proving to be a bit challenging,” Nozomi sighed, inhaling the smell of yakiniku again.  
  
“She’ll get there eventually,” Eli grinned.  
  
“She’s a natural talent from what I’ve heard.”  
  
“Reminds me of someone,” Nozomi grinned, making Eli swat the tongs at her.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, just go get changed. By the time you get back, dinner will be ready.”  
  
Nozomi gave a small snort of laughter, and then headed to the bedroom.  
  


* * *

  
  
Standing in front of the mirror, Nozomi took off her black shirt and threw it into her laundry basket.  
  
Before she continued, she looked at her appearance: her arms were covered in tattoos, the intricate designs danced across her skin, ranging from flowers on her left arm to phrases in forgotten languages on her right. Her stomach had a mandala, and her back was a mixture of renaissance and traditional Japanese. Down the lower sides of her back were two f-holes, seen on string instruments.  
  
There was a white lily on the left side of her neck, which she got to commemorate the opening of her tattoo parlour, _Lily White._  
  
Oh the irony, of her owning a tattoo parlour while her girlfriend, Eli, owned a flower shop called _Bibi_.

Nozomi stared at herself, at the piercing in her left nostril, the multitude of piercings in her ears and her 3cm stretched earlobes.  
  
Behind her left ear was a secret tattoo that she had gotten her apprentice, Rin, to do. It said ‘Хорошо.’  
  
“Nozomi, what’s taking so long?” Eli poked her head in the door, and grinned at her half-naked love. Eli _loved_ to look at Nozomi’s tattoos, and she would trace them as they fell asleep together.  
  
“And you think _I’m_ narcissistic,” she giggled, moving towards Nozomi.  
  
The other girl smirked and reached for a purple tank top to slip on.  
  
“I’m not, I was just thinking,” Nozomi’s head popped out of the hole for her head and settled the top on her body.  
  
“You should’ve left it off,” Eli wrapped her arms around Nozomi’s waist, resting her head on her shoulder and inhaling the smell of far too many sanitary products.  
  
“It’s funny.”  
  
“Hmm?” Eli opened her eyes as Nozomi spoke.  
  
“I have a tattoo parlour named _Lily White,_ and you have a flower shop named _Bibi…_ ”  
  
“Sometimes life is funny,” Eli murmured, nuzzling her head further into the crook of Nozomi’s neck. The tattoo artist smiled, and placed a hand over Eli’s.  
  
“C’mon, Elichi. The yakiniku is calling my name.”

* * *

 

  
Dinner was as always, the two shared stories from their day at work, and Nozomi always finished her meal with a cigarette, much to Eli’s dismay.  
  
“You’re allowed vodka after dinner, let me have a cancer stick.”  
  
“You _do_ realize what that is doing to your body. Haven’t your cards said anything about it yet?”  
  
“When they do, I’ll listen.”  
  
“You’re psychotic.”  
  
“Yet you’re still here,” Nozomi smiled, letting the smoke flow out of her nostrils. Eli sighed and continued her work story.  
  
“Kotori wants us to do the bouquets for her wedding.”  
  
“Is that so?”  
  
“I think Maki and Nico will enjoy the task. Might prompt one of them to pop the question, anyway.”  
  
“Give them time, Elichi,” Nozomi lightly responded, flicking the end of her cigarette onto her plate. Eli pouted and moved a strand of blonde hair out of her face.  
  
“I actually wanted to ask you about Umi.”  
  
Nozomi opened her eyes slowly.  
  
“Such a quick change of topic.”  
  
“Has she been…strange…at work lately?”  
  
“How so?”  
  
“Kotori is worried about her.”  
  
Nozomi put her cigarette down and leaned in closer, fingers entwined.  
  
“Does think Umi-chan’s got cold feet?”  
  
Eli bit her lip, not wanting to voice it herself. Umi _did_ love Kotori, and since she proposed to her three months ago, the girl was acting strange (now that Nozomi thought back on it.)  
  
“She’s had to push a few of her appointments back, that’s for sure, but other than that, there’s been no drastic changes,” Nozomi mused, picking up her cigarette again and taking a large draw.  
  
Eli shrugged, standing up and taking one final swig of her vodka.  
  
“It’s probably the pre-wedding jitters, even though they haven’t set a date yet.”  
  
“I’m sure the two will be completely fine,” Nozomi stood up as well to take care of the plates.  
  
“Now, since you cooked, I’ll clean up. Meet me in bed?”  
  
Eli gazed at her girlfriend with half-lidded eyes.  
  
“Don’t keep me waiting, Nozomi,” was the sultry wisp of a response.  
  
The tattoo artist gently kissed the florist.  
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”


	2. All My Own Stunts

The alarm buzzed, and Eli groaned. She _hated_ getting up early. Why was she the manager of a flower shop that started work at 7am again? Oh, that's right, it was so she could leave at 4pm to take her little sister to ballet class.

Next to her, Nozomi stirred, and reached out to put the alarm on snooze. Nozomi had no problem with alarms, but that was because she started work later in the day. However, she needed to get up and complete some sketches for clients, and she liked to be on top of those.

The alarm was Tchaikovsky's _Russian Dance_ from _The Nutcracker Suite, OP 71._  
  
"Elichi," Nozomi whispered, sitting up in their bed and rubbing the back of her head.

Looking down, she saw her partner, blonde hair sprawled out around her, breathing slowly and clutching at her hand.

"Elichi," Nozomi repeated, a little louder this time to get through to Eli, but to no avail. With a smirk, Nozomi bent down and pressed her lips to Eli's. The hand on hers tightened, and a soft moan escaped the florist's mouth.

"C'mon, you have to get up, it's 6am."

" _Niet,_ "

"Eli," Nozomi smiled, dropping the honorific as she gave another light kiss.

"If you don't get up, you'll have to work from 9 to 6."

The blonde huffed and curled away from her girlfriend. Nozomi sighed and moved back to observe her fingernails.

"If you're _that_ tired, then I guess you have no energy for one of my famous hot chocolates with toasted marshmallows on top."

"Wha?!" Eli jerked awake and threw the covers off of herself. Nozomi chuckled, and pressed a final kiss to Eli's lips.

"G'mornin', Elichi."

"Nozomi…" Eli pouted, drawing the tattoo artist closer to her body.

"Don't say such horrific things."

"Well it worked, didn't it?" Nozomi waggled her eyebrows at the blonde, who huffed and pecked her on the lips.

"It did, so pay up."

* * *

The two had hot chocolates in silence, still waking up, then showered and got dressed, ready to start their day.

"It's days like these that I wish you didn't sell your car," Eli sighed, buttoning up her navy blue coat and adorning her earmuffs.

"That makes two of us," Nozomi took a sip from her tea and looked on at Eli. Lucky for the florist, her shop was only a block away, and right opposite _Printemps Childcare Centre,_ owned by their friend Honoka.

"Although, I don't see the point in driving a block down the road to work when walking will take 5 minutes," Nozomi looked down at her tarot cards as Eli huffed.

"Says the girl who drove herself to her apprenticeship when she lived a street away," was the comeback in a fierce tone. Nozomi smiled and closed her eyes, deciding to let Eli win. She knew Eli wasn't a morning person, anyway.

"Touché, Elichi. Now I believe it's almost 7,"

"That it is," Eli walked up to Nozomi and drew her in for another kiss.

"I'll see you tonight,"

"Have a nice day, Elichi,"

"Did your cards say I would?"

"They did indeed," Nozomi winked as Eli turned on her heel and opened the door to brace the cold Japanese winter.

With Eli gone, Nozomi took her hot chocolate and cards back to the bed. On her way there, she lit up an incense of roses and cinnamon.

Settling down on the bed, knees up to her chest, the tattoo artist also plugged her mp3 player into the speaker on her bedside table, and set it to shuffle.

The guitar noodling at the start made her smile, _'All My Own Stunts'_ by the Arctic Monkeys, one of her favourite bands.

Humming along to the lyrics, Nozomi then reached into the drawer of her bedside table and pulled out her A3 sketchbook and a few pencils. She needed to work on a design for a client later in the day.

Customer requests were sometimes very strange, but Nozomi knew better than to turn away a design that was executed in an awkward fashion.

During her gap year, Nozomi went to Italy and developed a fascination for renaissance artwork. She started tracing her tarot cards, and caught up with Maki in Rome to visit the museums and art galleries. During this time Nozomi got her first tattoo on her right bicep: The Chariot.

Being a tattoo artist for nearly 9 years, had developed her own style through copious amounts of practice and pig skin. She had always loved flowers, and soon learnt that every tattooist needs to be able to draw and tattoo flowers, so she was ecstatic when her mentor, Kussun, told her this.

half an hour into her rough sketches of a gardenia, Nozomi felt a familiar craving crawl up from her insides. With a sigh, she reached into the drawer again and pulled out a cigarette and her purple lighter. She continued her sketches with the cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth for some time.

For help, to deign the stem, she looked at the gardenia that on the inside of her left arm. An hour later, the first sketch was finished, and the artist leaned back against her bed head with a smile.

* * *

A fist rapped against the door, followed by muffled angry yelling. Eli looked up from her bouquet of roses and saw two girls: one with black hair and one with red, standing outside with frowns on their faces.

Eli opened the door and let them in, "Good morning, where are your keys?"

"We left them here because we went out last night," Maki explained as Nico threw herself into the warmth of _Bibi_ flower shop.

"Come on, get your aprons on and look at the daily planner. Maki, you're on wrapping today, and Nico, you're on the counter. I need to do a stock take so I'll be out the back for the majority of the day, but if it gets _super_ busy, give me a yell."

Surprisingly, it _did_ get busy. Many people were buying flowers for friends and loved ones who had gotten sick due to the weather. Eli barely got through her stock take when Nico called for her to help out.

"So, how's Nozomi?" Nico asked her boss as the final customer from the last wave left the store. Eli shrugged, clutching at her clipboard.

"She's fine, same as always. I do know she's training Rin so her hands are full."

"Rin's going to be a tattoo artist?" Maki looked up from her station, disbelief on her face. Eli nodded, and ticked off a box of daffodils she saw from the corner of her eye.

"She's only two weeks into her training, but yes. Nozomi has given her all these things to trace and draw."

"It's weird to think that she will be a tattooist as well as a football coach."

"Soccer. It's soccer."

Maki put down the bouquet of dandelions to glare at Nico.

"Nico, what part of the body do you use to play football with?"

"Your feet."

"Exactly, it's _foot_ ball."

"No, football is that yanky sport where you tackle each other,"

"Why is it called football when you _barely use your feet?!"_ Maki's eye twitched as Nico clenched her fists.

"They kick it to start a new round or whatever!"

"Rounds are used for boxing and wrestling!"

"Halves or quarters or whatever! Anyway it's soccer, not football!"

"It's football! You cannot touch the ball with your hands!"

"Unless you're the keeper!"

Eli watched the two argue as her eye twitched. Finally having enough, she slammed the clipboard down onto the counter.

"Can you two _please_ save this for pillow talk or something?!"

Silence fell over the shop as Eli shut her eyes and counted to ten to calm herself down.

"I'll be in the back to continue stock take. Just… just don't destroy the store with your arguing, please," Eli sighed and pushed her blonde hair out of her face.

On her way to the back room, her hand just touching the doorknob, she looked over at Maki and gave a small grin.

"It's football."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's football, not soccer.
> 
> If anyone wants to draw a punk!nozomi with piercings and tats and smoking a cig then hmu on tumblr: Valkriemusic.tumblr.com


	3. Hoodoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nice to see people enjoying this. BTW I love your reactions to Nozomi being the tattoo artist and not Eli ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

With a click of the button, the alarm was disabled, and Nozomi could set up her shop.   
  
_Lily White_ wasn’t overly big: there were only three stations, and two small rooms at the back of the store were for piercings and breaks.   
  
The smell of sanitary products backhanded the artist in the face, but she was used to it by now: her shop was the cleanest in all of Tokyo, and she prided herself on being as sanitary as a hospital.   
  
Nozomi made her way to the break room and turned on the lights, which reflected off the tiled floor and framed artwork on the walls.   
  
“Umi-chan and Rin-chan should be here soon,” she thought to herself while she sat down at her desk and took out her sketchbook. Nozomi was caught up in her mp3 player on the bus and totally forgot to continue the sketches.  
  
The time was 10:50, and the doors would open at 11. Normally Rin would show up at 11, and Umi, being a piercer, would come in at 11:30.  
  
Sure enough, as Nozomi finished a leaf on the stem, the door clinked, and her apprentice skipped into the parlour.  
  
“Good morning, Nozomi-senpai!”  
  
The bundle of energy, and her apprentice, Rin Hoshizora, bounded into the break room with a large smile on her face. Nozomi looked up from her sketchbook and smiled.  
  
“Good mornin’, Rin. Nice to see you a little earlier than usual.”  
  
Rin smiled and placed her back in her pigeon hole. She took off her jacket and ruffled her short, orange hair…that seemed shorter than usual.  
  
“Did you cut your hair?” Nozomi put down the sketchbook entirely and smiled at the buzzed orange sides.   
  
Rin smiled, “Yep! Kayo-chin gave me an undercut as per my request! Whatdaya think?”  
  
“It suits you,” Nozomi’s compliment made Rin all giddy, even as her boss pulled out the notebook from her desk draw.  
  
“I’m just going to write up our plan for the day. In the meantime, how about you set up the first station?”  
  
“You got it!” The girl rolled up her sleeves to expose her own tattoos, then jogged out onto the floor.  
  
“Rin-chan!” Nozomi called back, and the girl skidded to a halt to look at her boss.  
  
“Nya?” Her eyebrows raised, making the piercing in her left one glint in the light.  
  
“Remember how we talked about no running in the parlour?”  
  
“Oh, r-right. Sorry, Senpai,” Rin bowed an apology, the power walked over to set up the stations.   
  
Nozomi smiled at her young apprentice. She was only 23, and full of unlimited energy. Rin always put a lot of effort into her drawings, but she still needed to face her Achilles heel, which Nozomi was hoping to tackle today.  
  
-  
  
The door opened at 11:29, and in walked the body piercer, Umi.  
  
“Umi-senpai! Hello!” Rin looked up from the station she was currently preparing for Nozomi, and smiled.  
  
“Hello, Rin,” Umi smiled back and took off her coat. She sniffled, and fixed her nose jewellery.  
  
“Winter is seriously the worst time to have piercings, I swear.”  
  
“Really?” Rin was curious. Umi nodded, “Yes, because sometimes you get the sniffles, and it’s very uncomfortable.”  
  
“Hmm, today I learned,” Rin grinned, then went back to her cleaning.   
  
“Nozomi is outside having a smoke before her client shows up.”  
  
“She’s got some nerve in _this_ weather,” Umi sighed, then headed into the break room to put her bag down.   
  
True to Rin’s word, Umi found Nozomi out the back alleyway with a cigarette between her lips and sketchbook in hand.  
  
“Are you stumped?” Umi asked, walking up next to her boss with a light smile.  
  
“Good day, Umi-chan,” Nozomi smiled, not looking up from her sketchbook. The gardenia had a silver chain that coiled around the stem, and a silver bird charm on the end.  
  
“It looks good,” Umi patted Nozomi on the back.  
  
“Let’s hope she likes it,” Nozomi closed her eyes and took another drag from the cigarette. Umi snorted lightly, then turned to head back inside.  
  
“Kotori loves your work, so you have nothing to worry about. Now get back inside, it’s freezing!” 

-  
  
“Maki,” Eli sighed, putting down her clipboard for the umpteenth time that day.  
  
“Remember the rule? It’s light to dark, not dark to light, especially with funeral bouquets.”  
  
“Oh, right…I knew that.”  
  
“If you did, then why did you do it the opposite way?” Eli grinned, she wasn’t going to be harsh on Maki, she knew the girl was just weak to admitting her mistakes.  
  
“I thought it was a wedding bouquet.”  
  
“That’s fine, just readjust them gently and there’s no harm done,” Eli instructed as her phone in her pocket vibrated.   
  
She left the redhead to fix her mistake, and moved her blue apron aside to get her phone out. Smiling at the number, she went into the backroom and swiped to answer.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Eli-chan! It’s Honoka,”  
  
“Hello, how are you today?”  
  
“Cold! So very cold!”  
  
Eli chuckled, the younger girl _did_ speak the truth.  
  
“How is the daycare centre?”  
  
“A few children have gotten a cold, so it’s rather quiet. How about you?”  
  
“Surprisingly busy, but for that very reason.”  
  
“Hmm…interesting.”  
  
“Was there something I can help you with?” Eli leaned against the wall and folded her arm across her waist.  
  
“Have you heard from Umi-chan at all lately?”  
  
“No, I haven’t,” Eli responded, knowing _exactly_ what this was about.   
  
“Is Kotori still worried about her?”  
  
“Very much so, apparently she’s gone quiet, even more so than usual.”  
  
“Well, why don’t you call Nozomi? She has Kotori for an appointment today, after all,” Eli slowly suggested, knowing Nozomi didn’t particularly like to get personal calls when at work.  
  
“I would but you of _all_ people know what she’s li-”  
  
“I know, but maybe call her after work? She finishes at 6 today,”   
  
“That could work…” Honoka went silent, and Eli checked her phone to see if the call had been cut. She smiled at the name on her screen and let out a giggle.  
  
“H-Hey, what’s so funny?”  
  
“Nothing, don’t worry, Honoka," the blonde had to force her friend's name out.   
  
“A-anyway, nap time is nearly over, I’ll speak with you tomorrow, okay?”  
  
“Sure thing, see you”  
  
“Bye Eli-chan!”  
  
When the daycare owner hung up, Eli stared down at her phone again. She chuckled again at the name in her phone: Honkers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each chapter is named after a song that comes up on shuffle. No real meaning or anything.


	4. Mela

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mela - Esperanza Spalding.

While Umi was piercing a client, Nozomi and Rin sat opposite each other at a station, both staring at a slab of skin. The whirring noise of the tattoo machine was breaking the silence, along with Rin’s quiet whimpers.  
  
“Rin-chan, you just have to trace the line, remember how we practiced on the paper?” Nozomi spoke, seeing the orange brows twitch.  
  
Rin took deep breaths, and the hand that had the machine in it was shaking.  
  
“I know…I know…”  
  
“C’mon, Rin-chan, you must have a steady hand.”  
  
“I know…I know…”  
  
Nozomi knew what Rin was doing: she was caught up in her head, and her eyes were glazing over.  
  
Nozomi sighed and rolled her wheely chair to be next to her apprentice.  
  
“Here, let me help you,” Nozomi’s voice was soft, as she took Rin’s right hand with her own and moved it towards the pig skin.  
  
The symbol was rather simple, just an outline of Rin’s name in hiragana.  
  
“Remember, try to be gentle, but maintain a firm grip. The needle is going to cause pain for the client, so they don’t need any more discomfort,” Nozomi guided Rin to the stencil and place the needle on the pig skin.  
  
Instantly, Rin squirmed and let out a strange noise.  
  
“Hey, it’s not real. It’s pig skin,” Nozomi kept calm over Rin’s squirming.  
  
“I-It’s weird!”  
  
“I know, but every needs to start on something, and unfortunately, there aren’t many alternatives at our disposal. You’ve been drawing for a while, and that’s only half of the process,” Nozomi explained, keeping Rin’s hand steady as she guided her over the first character.  
  
Rin settled down once the character was finished, and looked down at the thin, black ink that was now permanently on the pig skin.  
  
Rin froze, staring at the skin as sweat beaded on her forehead.  
  
“You need to be strong about this, Rin-chan,” Nozomi moved back and pointed at the skin.  
  
“We’re lucky that this pig is dead and didn’t even have a say in getting a tattoo in the first place, but if this was a real client, an _alive_ client, they would be uncomfortable because you are uncomfortable” Nozomi moved her hair away to show Rin the tattoo behind her ear.  
  
“You need to be as calm as you were doing this one. Try to get into a state where you can focus and remain in control.”  
  
Rin stared at the tattoo, still in the healing process. She had nearly lost her mind when Nozomi asked her to tattoo her: she’d only been her apprentice for two months, and she had done that in a very sensitive area, on her _boss,_ her _master,_ no less! Two weeks ago, Rin had done that tattooo, which meant Nozomi had broken all the laws for apprentice tattooing. Yet, she had faith the 23-year-old, and had managed to complete the tattoo, and passed out at the end.   
  
“Rin-chan,” Nozomi let her hair cover the tattoo again, her ever present smile hadn’t faltered once.  
  
“What was going through your mind when you did this tattoo?”  
  
Rin blinked, then tugged at the collar of her Blink 182 shirt.  
  
“Th-that if I mess up you’d beat the ever-loving crap out of me…and that I would just kiss my apprenticeship goodbye…And that we would both be in a lot of trouble if people found out I did a tattoo after only two months of being your apprentice...”  
  
Nozomi chuckled as Umi entered the room with her newly pierced client behind her.  
  
“You were determined not to fail, weren’t you?”  
  
“Y-yeah…I just channelled that energy the same way as I play soccer…get really focused and do the best I can…”  
  
“Sounds like a good method,” Nozomi wheeled back around to the opposite side of the station.  
  
“Try to channel that energy into this piece, and always remember to take your time. This art form is permanent, and clients will _not_ be happy if you mess up a design by squirming around.”  
  
“O-okay,” Rin stuttered, then cleared her throat as the door jingled open.  
  
-  
  
Once Umi’s client left, her eyes lit up at the new person in the store.  
  
“Kotori! Good afternoon!” Umi walked forward and gently kissed her fiancé on the cheek.  
  
“Good afternoon, Umi-chan,” the daycare worker smiled back, and looked over at Nozomi and Rin.  
  
“Good afternoon, Rin-chan, Nozomi-san!”  
  
“Hello!” Nozomi greeted cheerfully, but Rin just smiled at her, and then went back to slowly starting the other hiragana character on the pig skin.  
  
“Excuse Rin, she’s concentrating,” Umi noted as Nozomi stood up and beckoned Kotori to join her at another station.  
  
“Umi-chan, please keep an eye on Rin for me. If she starts to get anxious, turn the machine off by hitting that foot switch. The machine will stop immediately, okay?” Nozomi instructed, and Umi nodded.  
  
“Sure thing.”  


* * *

 

Eli hung up her apron and looked at the time: 3:58pm.  
  
She had managed to _finally_ complete her stock take, and now it was time to gather her things and collect Alisa from school. She’d always take her younger sister to her ballet class, since Eli promised her mother and grandmother. However, as she put on her coat, a thought struck.  
  
The blonde pulled out her phone, and unlocked it. She needed to call Nozomi about their plans for the evening. Eli was willing to bite the bullet and accept her girlfriend’s wrath for calling her during work hours.  
  
Eli punched in the numbers for her work, and waited.  
  
“ _Lily White Tattoos and Piercings,_ This is Umi.”  
  
“Umi, it’s Eli,” the blonde smiled, and Umi chuckled.  
  
“Hello, Eli. How are you?”  
  
“I’m well, and yourself?”  
  
“Ah, same old same old. Can’t complain, can I?”  
  
Eli smiled sadly, still thinking about Kotori worrying over her fiancé.  
  
“Hey, is Nozomi there?”  
  
“She’s just doing a consultation with a client. Is it urgent?”  
  
“Not particularly, just get her to call me b-”  
  
“Elichi.”  
  
Umi’s voice was replaced by that familiar nickname, and Eli sighed.  
  
“Hey, I’m sorry for calling you during work hours but I wanted to kn-”  
  
“It’s fine, I haven’t started tattooing yet. What’s up?”  
  
“I’m about to go pick up Alisa and take her to ballet. Are you cooking dinner tonight?”  
  
“I will, but I may be late, depending on how long Kotori-chan’s tattoo takes and if there are any walk-ins.”  
  
“Did you need me to pick up anything before I come home?”  
  
“Nah, leave that to me, Elichi. Just enjoy the time with your sister.”  
  
“Well _that_ sounds ominous,” Eli muttered, and Nozomi chuckled.  
  
“It’s fine, that’s what the cards said.”  
  
Eli sighed and slung her bag onto her shoulder.  
  
“Okay, okay, I’ll head off now. Just be careful, it’s still pretty cold outside.”  
  
“I will be, Elichi, don’t worry.”  
  
“…I love you,” Eli said it without thinking, and Nozomi just chuckled again.  
  
“Wh-what’s so funny?”  
  
“You're too winsome,  Elichi. I love you, too. See you tonight,” Nozomi responded, and Eli hung up, blushing furiously.  
  
Checking the time, it was 4:04pm.  
  
With a sigh, the blonde stuffed her phone into her pocket and left the backroom.  
  
“Alright, I’m off. You two know what to do, and if there’s a problem, give me a ring,” Eli instructed Maki and Nico. Both would close up for her at 6.  
  
“Okay, see you tomorrow, Eli” Nico grinned as Maki nodded.  
  
“See you.”


	5. Noots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noots- Sum 41
> 
> People who have asked to draw Punk!Nozomi, PLEASE DO!!!!

 “Okay, are you ready, Kotori-chan?” Nozomi walked back to her client, who was lying down on the table with her hands behind her head.  
  
“Yep! Go for it, Nozomi!”   
  
“Is this the position you want?” Nozomi looked at the design currently on the left side of Kotori’s hip. The top to the flower was just grazing her ribcage, making Nozomi herself grimace.  
  
“It sure is!”  
  
“Just letting you know, the ribs is the most sensitive spot on the body to get tattooed, closely followed by the feet and toes, so when I do the petals, it’s going to cane.”   
  
“I understand, Umi-chan has already warned me about the pain,” Kotori’s smile rivalled Nozomi’s own, as Umi sheepishly looked on at the two.  
  
Nozomi felt the gaze, and closed her eyes while she readied the needle.  
  
“Umi-chan, you may pull up a chair if you like, just continue to keep an eye on Rin-chan, okay?” Nozomi offered, which Umi took in an instant.   
  
She dragged a free wheely chair from another station and sat next to Kotori.   
  
“Okay, Kotori-chan, here we go,” Nozomi placed the needle to the outline and got to work.

 -

Nozomi’s method with tattooing was to be slow and steady. Each line was done with the utmost care, and she tried to be as gentle as possible. Kussun taught her that the process of tattooing is just as important as the final product: no one wants to walk away with a great tattoo but an awful experience.  
  
“So, is this an engagement present to yourself?” Nozomi would talk to her clients to try and take their minds of the pain.   
  
“Not really,” Kotori looked at Umi, who shrugged.  
  
“I was shocked when she decided to get this done, personally,” Umi added, keeping an eye on Rin-chan. The apprentice was so deep in concentration that it surprised the piercer.  
  
“I decided that once I told my mum I’d get this done,” Kotori explained while Nozomi wiped away excess ink droplets from Kotori’s skin.   
  
“My mum loves gardenias, and she got me the charm for my 10th birthday. I want them both with me forever, and I figured this would be a great way to do so.”  
  
“It’s a lovely idea,” Nozomi looked up at Kotori, who was smiling ear to ear.  
  
“Are you still doing that textile course?”“I am! But I’ve had to go part time seeing as Honoka wants me at the day more these days. Especially around winter.”  
  
“Winter doesn’t do good for _any_ jobs,” Umi remarked.  
  
“Except snowplow drivers, skiing instructors, ice skaters, retail shops that sell snow gear,”  
  
“Okay, okay! It works for _some_ occupations,” Umi huffed at Nozomi, and Kotori giggled.

 

* * *

 

Eli waved Alisa off as the younger Ayase skipped into the large studio.   
  
Eli leaned against the wall, reminiscing of her days as a ballerina. However, with these memories of dancing, came the memories of rejection, memories of the horrible girls whom she competed against, memories of the disappointed that welled up inside of her as she received the audition failure notice.  
  
Eli shuddered, forcing the negativity out of her head, especially as Alisa’s ballet teacher was approaching her.  
  
“Miss Ayase?”  
  
“Y-Yes! Hello, Miss Yoshino,” Eli smiled at the woman and bowed.  
  
“I just wanted to say that Alisa is doing marvellously well in class. She must have gotten it from you,”  
  
Eli blushed furiously at the comment, and waved the compliment away.  
  
“I’m fairly certain she got it from our mother, or grandmother even.”  
  
“Oh please, I’ve heard the stories of your ballet days. You were quite the dancer, miss Ayase.”  
  
The blonde bit her lip and looked down at the ground.   
  
“Those _were_ my younger days,” Eli mumbled, then looked back up at the teacher.  
  
“Is there anything I should inform my mother about reguarding Alisa? She’s doing okay?”  
  
“Better than okay, I’d like to move her up a rank.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Indeed, she should also consider auditioning for different dance companies. I have faith in her. Does Alisa have any plans for when she finishes school?”  
  
“N-not that I know of, mum might.”  
  
“I’ll ask her then, because I’m sure many dance companies would love to have her,” Miss Yoshino bowed again, then turned to head back to the class.  
  
However, she stopped.  
  
“You own that flower shop, don’t you?”  
  
“I own _a_ flower shop, yes,” Eli raised an eyebrow, and clutched at her bag.  
  
“Lovely, I might have to place an order for some bouquets when the term finishes, to give out to the dancers, that is.”  
  
“Oh! Of course, feel free to drop in anytime. I’m there Sunday to Thursday.”


	6. Deconstruct

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deconstruct - Epica

“So, how is the wedding planning?” Nozomi asked, as she finished the outline with a mental sigh of relief: _50% through, keep it up, Nozomi,_ she thought to herself.  
  
“It’s getting there,” Kotori looked at Umi, who gulped and instantly balled her hands into fists. Before Nozomi could talk, Rin snapped up and gasped.  
  
“I’M DONE!”

Nozomi moved the needle away from Kotori and looked over at her apprentice. The orange-haired girl smiled and held up the slab of pig skin with pride.  
  
“It’s finished!”  
  
“That’s fantastic! Well done, Rin-chan,” Nozomi congratulated the young girl, who have a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her face.  
  
Nozomi motioned to Kotori, “Would you mind if Rin-chan has a look?”  
  
“Not at all,”  
  
“Rin-chan!” Nozomi called out to her apprentice, and jerked her head to motion her over.  
  
“Come have a look at this.”  
  
Rin walked over, and gasped. The lines were so neat and perfect, even the small beads to form the silver chain were so intricate.  
  
“Do you see how my hand hasn’t faltered?” Nozomi pointed this out as she change the needle to a shading needle. Rin nodded as Nozomi dipped the needles into the white ink on her table.  
  
“It takes time, but your hand will grow accustom to holding the needle steadily for long periods of time.”  
  
Rin was noting everything down mentally as Nozomi started to colour in the flower.  
  
“H-Hey, Nozomi?” Umi had checked her watch and grimaced at the time.  
  
“It’s quarter to six...”  
  
“I am aware of the time, Umi-chan,” Nozomi responded lightly, wiping away more droplets. Umi looked down at Kotori, who squinted in pain as Nozomi shaded the top of the flower on her ribs.  
  
“Do you reckon we could take no more clients and just finish Kotori?”  
  
Nozomi looked up at Umi, eyes glistening.  
  
“We normally keep our doors open until the very last second, but,” she looked back down at Kotori.  
  
“Just this once, I will allow it.”  
  
“Thank you so much,” Umi bowed, and then went to close up her piercing room quickly in order to return to her fiancé’s side as soon as possible.  
  
Rin looked up from the tattoo to Kotori.  
  
“It looks really amazing, Kotori-san!”  
  
“Thank you, Rin-chan. Nozomi-san’s work is truly something special.”  
  
“Ah, I’m just a humble tattoo artist,” Nozomi chuckled, changing colours from white to green.  
  
“Rin-chan, leave the pig skin in the break room for me to look at tomorrow, and then we can work on your technique some more, okay?”  
  
“Okay!” Rin hopped off to do as she was told.  
  
“A little birdie tells me that you’re worried about Umi-chan,” Nozomi quietly said to Kotori, who winced.  
  
“Ah! W-well, I am…very worried, actually.”  
  
“Umi-chan loves you very much, y’know,”  
  
“I know, but…she’s been very awkward when we talk about the wedding…and she’s been avoiding talking about it to her parents, even though they know…”  
  
Nozomi chuckled as she changed the colour to silver.  
  
“Kotori-chan, have you ever been married before?”  
  
“Wh-What?! No!” Kotori gasped and looked away with a blush.  
  
“Well, I know that Umi-chan hasn’t been married, either,” Nozomi continued.  
  
“It’s a new experience for you both. This is a happy time, and a sad time for the both of you. No one knows what the future is going to hold for the both of you, so you may as well roll with it. I imagine that Umi-chan is nervous, _very_ nervous.”  
  
Kotori thought over the words as Nozomi worked on the silver chain.  
  
“We both know her parents want her to take over their dojo eventually, and we both know that her being a body piercer wasn’t the ideal job her parents wanted her to have. I mean, look at us,” Nozomi grinned at Kotori, green eyes gleaming and nose piercing glinting. Her stretchers were purple today.  
  
“None of us were what our parents expected! Rin-chan is an amazing football player, and she’s now my apprentice. Umi-chan is a fantastic archer, yet her main source of income comes from piercing people. Body piercing and running a dojo are two very different things, especially since her father is quite sick at the moment…”  
  
“You’re right…” Kotori sighed and bit her lip. Nozomi stopped tattooing for a second and looked up at the childcare worker.  
  
“I'll be Umi-chan hasn't got got cold feet, Kotori-chan. Umi-chan is madly in love with you, and wants nothing more than to be with you. It’s the pressure she puts on herself from her past that is probably making her feel awkward at the moment. That's what I think, anyway. Perhaps give her some time?”  
  
“You think so?” Kotori sniffled, and Nozomi gestured to the break room.  
  
“That’s what the cards say, but this is none of my business,” Nozomi winked at Kotori, just as Umi walked over with her jacket on and hair tied back to show off her multitude of ear piercings. She was chewing on her left snake bite.  
  
“How are you doing, Kotori?”  
  
“Quite well, Umi-chan,” Kotori smiled back, blinking away the tears as she held out a hand for Umi to hold.  
  
“Kotori-chan has been solid as a rock, I’m very impressed,” Nozomi smiled, knowing how painful getting a tattoo on the side of the body is.  


-

With a final touch of amber in the bird charm’s eyes, Nozomi pulled away and smiled.  
  
“We are all finished, Kotori,” she announced, and the childcare worker gasped with delight. She got up with Umi’s help and rushed to the mirror to look at Nozomi’s work.  
  
The green-eyed girl looked on, happy at her client’s happiness, and tried to swallow the feelings that had crept up inside of her during that last hour with Kotori.  
  
_“You’re at work, personal things stay outside of the doors,”_ she told herself.

 


	7. Our Life, Our Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lour Life, Our Love - Softengine

Despite the bitter cold and freezing winds, Nozomi got off the bus with a smile on her face.   
  
She walked home quickly, eager to get out of the harsh winter, and jumped two stairs at a time to get to her apartment door.   
  
The artist practically kicked the door down to get inside the warmth of her own home.   
  
“I’m home,” Nozomi called out absentmindedly, taking of her shoes.   
  
“Welcome home,” the familiar voice came from the living room, and Nozomi’s smile stretched.   
  
Walking into the living room, she saw Eli sprawled out on the floor in her pyjamas, doing the splits.   
  
“Well _that’s_ a lovely angle to come home to,” Nozomi waggled her eyebrows as Eli looked away from the television.   
  
“You certainly took your sweet time.”  
  
“I _did_ warn you.”  
  
Eli got to her feet and brushed her blonde hair away from her face.   
  
“You said you’d make dinner tonight.”  
  
“That I did,”  
  
“Hop to it, I’m starving,” Eli grinned at Nozomi from over her shoulder. The tattoo artist flamboyantly bowed with a wave of her hand.  
  
“Your wish is my command, Elichi.”  
  
Nozomi took off her coat and rolled up the sleeves of her black and red flannel shirt.   
  
She went to the grocery bag and pulled out the rice, chicken and basil.   
  
While prepared the food, the two chatted idly about their days.   
  
“I’m lucky we didn’t fail stock take,” Eli sighed.  
  
“That would’ve gone against the cards,”  
  
“True, and Nico actually came back from her break on time.”  
  
“Miracles do happen,” Nozomi chuckled, rinsing the knife she used to cut the carrots in the sink.

  
-

  
Once Nozomi started cooking the chicken in the frying pan, Eli perked up.  
  
“Chicken curry?” The smell hit the florist, and Nozomi nodded.  
  
“Something simple to help wind down from a busy day.”  
  
“How did Rin do with her training?”  
  
Nozomi checked on the rice and sighed.  
  
“She’s got the jitters, at the moment.”  
  
“That’s to be expected, I guess?” Eli leaned forward to make her stomach touch the ground.  
  
“Yes, it’s something she needs to get used to…”  
  
“Did you talk to Umi today?”  
  
“I didn’t, but I voiced my thoughts with Kotori-chan.”  
  
“You do that a lot, Nozomi,” Eli smiled as Nozomi peered into her curry with a smirk.  
  
“At least I’m not awkward and keep everything inside.”  
  
“Okay, that was uncalled for,” Eli bit her lip and stood up again to relieve her legs.   
  
Nozomi chuckled, and felt a familiar craving come over her. She reached into her pocket and took out a cigarette and her lighter.   
  
“Umi-chan just has a lot on her plate, and marriage, while it is said to be the most magical moment of one’s life, is just bringing those things to the surface.”  
  
“What did Kotori think?” Eli walked over and leaned against the fridge. Nozomi shrugged.  
  
“She just listened. That’s one of the beauties of being a tattoo artist, your clients _have_ to listen to you, because they can’t escape,” she let out an evil laugh, and Eli rolled her eyes.

“That, and you never shut up,” Eli shook her head and let a smirk cross her features. She took in her girlfriend’s tattooed arms, reading the phrases on her right arm. Moving forward, she lightly poked a spot on Nozomi’s forearm.  
  
“What does that one say again?”   
  
Nozomi looked down and hummed, moving her arm to see the quote.   
  
“Ah, that’s a quote from Da Vinci,” Nozomi smiled, remembering when she got it done in Italy.  
  
“It says: _Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication_ ,”  
  
Eli smiled, half-lidded and lazily, then pointed to another phrase above the Da Vinci one.  
  
“And this one?”   
  
“Surely you’d know this one, Elichi, it’s in Russian,” Nozomi tsked, breathing out smoke away from the blonde. Eli frowned, and Nozomi chuckled,  
  
“That’s a quote from Tchaikovsky: _Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy_.”  
  
“He said that?” Eli gently ran her fingers over the words, then smiled up at the green-eyed girl.  
  
“Apparently,” Nozomi shrugged, glancing at Eli with eyes that twinkled with mischief.  
  
“Did you enjoy your day?”  
  
“It was okay, I guess? I said that the shop got pretty busy, but other than that everything is fine.”  
  
“How Is Alisa-chan?” Nozomi asked, getting a plate for the curry and rice. Eli took down two glasses and placed them on the table.  
  
“She’s fine? Enjoying ballet and all that…actually…”  
  
Nozomi turned around as Eli walked back to the cuboard to get the vodka out.  
  
“Her teacher said that Alisa should consider trying out for different dance companies when she graduates high school,”   
  
Nozomi raised her eyebrows as she brought two plates over to the dining table.  
  
“That could be promising,” she mused as Eli poured herself the vodka.  
  
“It is, but…” Eli’s eyes turned sad as Nozomi stuck the cigarette behind her ear.  
  
“You don’t want her to go through what you did?”  
  
A nod.   
  
Nozomi sighed and reached out to hold Eli’s hand with her own.  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi smiled, rubbing her thumb over the florist’s hand. Eli shook her head and exhaled sharply.  
  
“It’s whatever Alisa wants to do. I have no say in the matter,” Eli’s affirmative tone in her voice wasn’t enough to reach her eyes.   
  
Nozomi bit her lip and continued to hold her girlfriend’s hand, she hated seeing Eli sad.   
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi leant over the table and gently kissed the blonde’s lips.  
  
“Alisa isn’t graduating high school for another term. She has plenty of time to think.”  
  
Eli looked at Nozomi, and smiled sadly.  
  
“I know, but I’m allowed to worry. I mean,” she let out a bark of laughter.  
  
“She might not be able to work at my shop for a bit when she graduates”  
  
Nozomi chuckled, glad that Eli was learning how to find the humour in awkward situations.  
  


* * *

After dinner, the two lay in their bed, Nozomi with another cigarette and her tarot cards, and Eli with her laptop, finalising the payroll for the week.

“It’s Tuesday, why are you doing payroll now?” Nozomi asked Eli, who didn’t look up from her computer screen.  
  
“Just a draft for the week, so I can finalize it on Saturday from home.”  
  
“You might want to show Nico or Maki how to do it, it’s handy,” Nozomi took a drag from her cigarette.  
  
“Nico already knows how, but the one time she was meant to actually do it, she didn’t,” Eli deadpanned and pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
“She had one job. Literally!”  
  
Nozmi chuckled, and exhaled the cigarette fumes through her nostrils.  
  
“That’s why no one else but me does payroll.”  
  
“Not even Umi?”  
  
“Not even Umi-chan,” Nozomi closed her eyes and leaned back against the bedhead. Her mp3 was playing again, this time it was _Softengine.  
  
_ “Where do you even find this stuff?” Eli couldn’t help but sway to the beat.  
  
“There’s a magical website called _Youtube,_ Elichi. Surely you’ve heard of it?” The green-eyed girl smirked, puffing out more smoke away from her girlfriend.   
  
Eli scoffed and continued to tap away at the keys.  
  
“You just find the most obscure music, Nozomi. It’s a talent,” Eli smiled, then saved the excel sheet and opened up her Internet browser.  
  
“Just need to send this to the bank, and come Monday, we’ll have some money in our accounts,”   
  
“Holla holla, get that dolla,” Nozomi sung, and Eli chuckled.   
  
Nozomi’s phone buzzed, and the tattoo artist lazily reached over to look at the message:  
  
_Umi: 21:15,  
Kotori loves her tattoo, thanks again for the great design!  
_  
“Did you take a picture of Kotori’s tattoo?” Eli asked, pearing at the text over her girlfriend’s shoulder.   
  
Nozomi nodded and went into her photos app to bring up the picture.  
  
Kotori’s skin was red from the recent ink, but the colours were a lovely blend of white, green and silver.   
  
Eli smiled and leaned closer into Nozomi.  
  
“It looks amazing,” she breathed, curling up against her girlfriend. Nozomi pressed a kiss to the top of her head and sighed.  
  
“I’m glad she liked it. This was quite the challenge, and it took longer than expected.”  
  
“Did she need to stop?” Eli placed her laptop on her bedside table, and Nozomi shook her head.  
  
“No, I just took more time than usual,” she sighed as Eli curled into her body again.   
  
The couple went silent, just enjoying each other’s company for the time being.   
  
“But that’s why you’re amazing. You take your time and care about your clients, you build bonds and take pride in your work,” Eli’s speech was a little slower, and Nozomi blushed as she wrapped an arm around her to bring the blonde closer.  
  
“So do you. I see the care and effort you put into those bouquets,” Nozomi hummed, stubbing out the cigarette at throwing it into the ashtray by her bed.  
  
“That’s why I love you, Elichi. You’re a perfectionist, it’s both a blessing and a curse, really,”  
  
The florist nudged the artist in the stomach with her elbow, nearing a laugh from Nozomi.  
  
“Yeah? Well you’re a pain in the arse most of the time.”  
  
She looked up into the emerald-green eyes, and felt herself get lost in the glittering galaxy.  
  
“But, that’s also why I love you,” she gently leaned into a kiss, and Nozomi’s smile reached her ears. When Eli broke the kiss, she pouted and lightly whacked the older girl’s arm.  
  
“Hey, your breath stinks of smoke!”  
  
“I’m not the one who kissed first,”  
  
“But you kissed _back,_ ” Eli scowled and pointed to the bathroom as she moved away from Nozomi.  
  
“Go brush your teeth, then come back to bed so I can ravage you.”  
  
“My, my, Elichi, you’re so commanding tonight,” Nozomi gently kissed the blonde’s forehead, then moved the covers off her and got up.  
  
“Well, I won’t want to make love to Smokey the Skunk,”  
  
“That’s a new one,” Nozomi mused, walking to the bathroom.

* * *

 

  
Nozomi brushed her teeth, and stared at her reflection again.   
  
Since her conversation with Kotori about Umi, she felt her heart sink slightly.   
  
Umi’s parents were not thrilled with her being a body piercer, and she could only imagine Rin’s parents at the shock of giving up her athletic career to be an apprentice tattoo artist. The thoughts brought her back to the scarce memories of her own parents, and a familiar shadowy figure lingering over her in her mind.  
  
_“I didn’t raise my daughter to become the scum of the earth,”  
  
“You didn’t raise me at _ all! _”_  
  
Nozomi gasped at the memory, and clung onto the sink with shaking hands. She shut her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself, and didn’t open her eyes until her heartbeat slowed down.   
  
The green-eyed girl looked down at her hands, the kanji on her left hand said ‘hope,’ and on her right said ‘faith.’   
  
The two things she had clung to for her entire life.


	8. I Almost Had a Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'I Almost Had a Weakness' - Elvis Costello & The Brodsky Quartet. (Truly on of the best things to come out of the 90's.)

Eli strolled down to _Bibi,_ seeing her own breath from the cold and hugging herself to stay warm.  
  
“Damn this winter,” she grumbled through gritted teeth as she pulled out the keys to her shop and opened the door.  
  
Unlike Nozomi, Eli’s keys didn’t have an alarm clicker. She had to briskly walk to the back room, unlock _that_ door as well, and then enter in the alarm code to disarm it.   
  
Not to mention the shop’s lights were off.  
  
There was always a wave of anxiety that crashed over her when she put her key into the lock: was it the right one? Would she set of the alarm at 7am and embarrass herself in front to the neighbouring shops? Would she be forever encased in the dark abyss that was her flower shop at this unholy hour?  
  
Eli had only done this once, and it was her face day on the job, back when she was a lowly casual worker staring at 9am. Honoka had been passing the store, and jumped from the shrill beeping of the alarm. When the orange-haired girl peered through the window, she saw Eli, on her knees with her head hung in shame. There was a small trickle of something running down the Blonde’s leg, and there was a silent pact between the two girls to never speak of that incident again.  
  
Fortunately, Eli had learned to not dawdle when she unlocked the shop, and automatically hurried to the back door, opened it, and punched in the four-digit code to turn off the alarm.   
  
The blonde let out a sigh of relief and scuffed her boots across the floor to put down her bag her to her desk.   
  
On the hangers opposite her desk were three aprons: one blue, one red and one pink. Each apron had a name stitched onto pocket above the left breast.   
  
Eli took off her coat and brushed down her denim skirt. She then put the apron on and tied it up at the back.  


-

Since the store didn’t actually open at 9am (when Maki and Nico would arrive,) Eli would water the flowers and write out the day’s plan.   
  
On occasion, she’d text Nozomi reminders for their apartment:  
  
_“Don’t forget to extinguish your incense before leaving”  
  
“Make sure there are no cigarettes still burning”  
  
“Please clean the stove.”  
  
_ Sometimes, Eli worried that she was such a nag at times. Constantly reminding her more-than-capable girlfriend to do thing she clearly knew what to do. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her partner of four years, the 26-year-old have lived alone her entire life, and knew how to take care of herself.  
  
However, even after being in a relationship for four years, Eli sensed Nozomi was _still_ getting used to living with someone else, even after two years of sharing the same bed.   
The only reason Eli would ‘nag,’ as Nico would say, was just to make sure Nozomi was okay. When she responded to her text messages, either normally or humorously, Eli would feel a wave of relief crash over her.   
  
Especially just now, when her phone vibrated in her skirt pocket.   
  
Eli took out her phone and opened her messages:  
  
_Eli, 7:04am  
Please don’t leave your music playing when you leave, I don’t think Mr  & Mrs Yamaku would enjoy listening to _Softengine _all day x_  
  


 _Nozomi, 7:06am  
_ _Aw, no fair! I’m sure Mrs Yamaku can get down to_ Yellowhouse  
_\- N, xx_

Eli chuckled, then sent a quick text back:  
  
_Eli, 7:07am  
Their taste in music just sucks, unlike yours x_

* * *

 

  
At 9am on the dot, Maki walked into the store with a yawn.  
  
“Morning, Eli-senpai,” Maki drawled, clearly still waking up. Her red hair was messy, even though she wore a beanie.   
  
Eli looked up from her daily planner, smiled at the younger girl.  
  
“Morning, Maki,” she greeted, remembering that Nico had the day off, and it would just be her and Maki for the day.  
  
The pianist went into the backroom to put down her bag and adorn her red apron. Eli tapped her pencil against the table, trying to think of what else had to be done today.  
  
However, just as she was about to write down something else, the front door opened.  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
Eli looked up, and saw Alisa’s ballet teacher, miss Yoshino, enter the parlour. Her cheeks were pink from the cold.  
  
“O-Oh! Miss Yoshino! Welcome,” Eli stuttered, but slapped a smile onto her face at once. The other woman walked forward with a smile,  
  
“Good morning, Miss Ayase,”  
  
“Eli, please,” The blonde pointed to the white letters on her apron.  
  
“E-Eli, then,” Miss Yoshino cleared her throat and pulled out her phone.  
  
“Could I please make an order for some bouquets?”  
  
“Of course,” Eli remembered they had talked about this yesterday. The blonde bent down and pulled out a note book from a draw at the bottom of her counter.  
  
“I’ll just need some details,” She said, as Maki came out of the backroom with her hair tied at the ends. Eli glanced at her sideways, then pointed to the box of chalk on the counter.  
  
“Can you change the message on the chalkboard to say something about 20% off wrapping please? Be as creative as you like,”  
  
Maki nodded, and got to work with a small grin. The florist then smiled at Miss Yoshino.  
  
“Okay, what date did you need your order by?”  
  
“25th of February,”   
  
Eli jotted down the date.  
  
“And how many did you need?”  
  
“Twenty.”  
  
“Twenty?!” Maki blurted out, and the older women turned to look at her. Eli had a cold glare on her face that made Maki shiver.   
  
“You’ll have to excuse her,” Eli’s smile didn’t reach her eyes when she turned back to the customer,   
  
“She’s still new.”

 

* * *

 

Once miss Yoshino had placed the order and left, Maki stood in front of Eli’s piercing glare, and felt colder than she had walking to word.   
  
Eli’s eyes pierced her very soul.  
  
“Maki,” her voice was ice, and Maki couldn’t help but nervously wring her hands.  
  
“We do _not_ blurt out like that in front of customers. They have their reasons for ordering certain numbers of bouquets, and it is not our place to question them or react in that manner. Do you understand?”  
  
Maki trembled as she choked on her own words.  
  
“Do you?” Eli raised an eyebrow at the 23-year-old, who gasped and actually jumped.  
  
“Y-Yes! I’m so sorry, it won’t happen again!” Maki threw herself into a bow, and Eli sighed, moving a strand of blonde hair out of her face.  
  
“Good, now get back to work on the chalkboard. When that’s finished, place it outside, then get started on trimming the thorns of the white roses.”  
  
Maki scurried back to the corner where the chalkboard was, and Eli place a hand to her forehead.

 

* * *

 

 

“Are you _sure_ you want to do this, Rin?” Umi’s sceptical gaze lingered on the young girl, who was sitting cross-legged on the cosmetic bed.  
  
“Yep! And since Umi-senpai is the only person I know who can do dermals, plus we work together, there’s no better option!”  
  
“Rin,” Umi sighed and leaned against the sink.  
  
“This is going to _hurt_ ,”  
  
“I know, I did some research.”  
  
“Like…it’s _really_ going to hurt. You won’t be able to play football for a while.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Football? The sport you play and coach?”  
  
“Oh, you mean soccer?”  
  
Umi groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
“Regardless, getting a hip dermal is going to hurt a _lot. All_ dermal anchors hurt a lot, especially when you sit down with a hip dermal.”  
  
“Hmm…” Rin bit her lip in thought, and Umi lifted up her shirt to show Rin her own dermals: there were two on each side, that stood out against her stomach tattoo: Kanji for ‘balance.’  
  
“I got these done a few years ago, but they _still_ give me grief from time to time. The hip is a sensitive area, almost as bad as the ribs. If you _really_ want a microdermal implant, I can at least suggest getting it in a different spot."  
  
Rin looked at the small silver jewels in Umi’s body, than looked down at her hands, then at her arms. Her left arm a large sleeve of Japanese koifish, and her right arm had various big cats (the tiger was done by Nozomi.)  
  
“okay, how about here?” Rin pointed to her right forearm, where a Maneki-Neko tattoo was. Umi hummed, and observed the arm.  
  
“That will hurt a little less, but you’ll still need to be very careful.”  
  
“Okay! Done deal!” Rin twisted herself to lie down on the cosmetic bed and held out her arm.  
  
“Umi-senpai, work your magic!”  


-

“So, you’d like a nose piercing on Friday at 3pm?” Nozomi asked the customer on the phone as she jotted down the information.  
  
“Yes…yes that’s fine. I’m looking at Umi-chan’s schedule right now and she’s free then…okay! …No, you don’t have to worry _too_ much, nose piercings will hurt but Umi-chan is very gentle and c-”  
  
Nozomi was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream from the piercing room.   
  
Green eyes opened and she turned around to look at the closed door.   
  
Nozomi blinked, and turned back to look at the book.  
  
“That was _not_ someone getting their nose pierced, miss, I can assure you.”  


* * *

 

  
The rest of day was extremely quiet, which only made it more awkward for Eli and Maki. At around, 2pm, Eli looked at the sales reports, and sighed.  
  
“Maki,” she addressed her colleague, and the girl jumped at once.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Let’s get a drink.”  
  
“Huh?” Maki was shocked, but Eli just turned the computer screen around to show the reports to the young girl.  
  
“We’ve only made $90 today, and no one else is going to come in. Let’s just go get a drink.”  
  
“O-Okay,” Maki was in a state of shock, Eli rarely took breaks (other than her mandatory half an hour.)  
  
Eli already walked into the backroom and took off her apron to replace with her coat.

 

* * *

 

Nozomi looked at the pigskin Rin had tattooed on yesterday. There was a cigarette between her lips as she leaned against the backdoor.   
  
Despite the scare Rin had with the first hiragana character, her lines were quite neat. However, with the stencil placed on top of the finished product, Nozomi could see that Rin had done the edges far too long, therefore elongating the tattoo.   
  
It was a common mistake all apprentices made, especially on pigskin. Nozomi also noticed how _hard_ Rin had been pressing the needle against the skin.  
  
_“We can work on all of this,”_ Nozomi thought as she finished off her cigarette and went back into the store.  
  
Rin was currently at the counter, sorting out appointments as per Nozomi’s instruction. Umi was piercing a client, and Nozomi’s schedule was completely free until 4pm.   
  
“Hey, Rin-chan,” Nozomi placed her elbows on the counter and glanced at the mouse on the computer screen.   
  
Rin looked up, and Nozomi caught sight of the freshly pierced skin on Rin’s right arm (seeing as there was a giant red blotch surrounding the tiny silver jewel.)  
  
“Nya?”  
  
“I’d like to review your pigskin with you, okay?”   
  
“S-sure,” Rin twiddled her thumbs awkwardly, waiting for the verdict.  
  
“Not right here, silly,” Nozomi grinned, and pulled out her wallet.  
  
“Let’s got get a drink.”  
  
“I-It’s like 2 in the afternoon!” Rin spluttered, and Nozomi shook her head.  
  
“ _Coffee._ Not alcohol.”  
  
“Oh, okay,” Rin got up from her chair and went into the break room to fetch her coat.

Nozomi gently tapped on the door of Umi’s piercing room.  
  
“I’m taking Rin for a coffee to review her work, do you want anything?”  
  
“Black tea, please, and one of Yukiho’s manjuu if possible,” came the response through the door. Nozomi snorted, but obliged.


	9. Long Way Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long Way Down - The Creepshow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my latest sin here: http://valkyriemusic.tumblr.com/post/137728898834/throw-me-in-a-church-and-shut-the-door-because-i

Eli always wondered why Honoka didn’t take over her family’s sweetshop, seeing as she was next-in-line to inherit it. Yet, she had opened a daycare centre, stating that she preferred to work with children from in front of the counter.  
  
The blonde sat opposite Maki, both had hot drinks in front of them and a notebook.  
  
Maki stared at her coffee, quietly contemplating what had possessed her boss to treat her to this.  
  
“Maki,” Eli spoke, as she picked up her pen and started to write in the notebook.  
  
“There are a few orders that are getting picked up on Friday, so please make sure that they are done tomorrow and stored away.”  
  
Maki nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
“There’s also another shipment of daisies on their way, which we were actually missing last week, but I’ve chased up the delivery company so it should come in on Friday.”  
  
Eli picked up her mug of hot chocolate and took a sip.  
  
“I know you’re still new, and when I’m not here, Nico is in charge, but I’m telling you this because I want to treat you as an equal.”  


-

The door opened to the sweetshop, and a girl with short, orange hair toppled inside.  
  
“Why is it so fuckin’ freezing outside?!” She hissed.  
  
“Rin-chan, watch your language,” a familiar voice ordered the girl. Eli turned around, and her eyes lit up: Nozomi and Rin were standing in the doorway, both shivering from the cold.  
  
The tattoo artist caught her gaze, and instantly walked over to the florist.  
  
“Good afternoon, Elichi,” she greeted, meeting Eli’s lips with her own.  
  
“H-hi,” Eli was breathless as she moved her lips back from Nozomi.  
  
“Good afternoon, Maki-chan,” Nozomi smiled at Maki, who lightly nodded.  
  
“Nozomi-senpai,”  
  
“What are you doing here?” Eli asked, making room for Nozomi and Rin.  
  
“Well, Rin-chan needs her latest test reviewed, and I thought, why not do it while we’re on a coffee run to everyone’s favourite sweetshop?” Nozomi gestured around the store as Rin approached the table.  
  
“Oh! Maki-chan! Hello!” Rin greeted her flatmate, who gave a quick smile.  
  
“Did you want to pull up a chair?” Maki asked Nozomi, but the green-eyed girl shook her head.  
  
“We’re getting takeaways, plus Umi-chan will be grumpy if we don’t bring her back the famous manjuu ASAP,” Nozomi chuckled while Rin held her right arm.  
  
“Everything okay, Rin?” Eli peered at the apprentice, who perked up at the sound of her name.  
  
“O-Oh! Yes, I’m fine,” she smiled back, but winced in pain when she rubbed up the arm.  
  
“Rin-chan has a new body modification, and you both know what it’s like to have a brand new piercing or tattoo,” Nozomi patted Rin lightly on the left shoulder.  
  
Maki touched at her pierced ears, and remember the pain of the gun shooting through the cartridge.

“A new tattoo?” Maki asked, but Rin shook her head with a sheepish grin.  
  
“N-no, it’s a piercing…”  
  
“You can pierce your arm?” Maki raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Rin-chan will tell you all about it, I need to go order,” Nozomi turned on her heel and went up to the counter.  
  


* * *

  
  
“Nozomi!” Yukiho greeted, and immediately started to make the usual orders for the tattoo artist and her apprentice.  
  
“How are you today, Yukiho?” Nozomi asked, looking at the decorations hanging from the ceiling.  
  
“Eh, business is slow due to this damn weather, but otherwise everything’s okay. How about you?”  
  
“Well, no one wants piercings in winter ( _except for Rin,)_ but I’ve had a few clients this week, which is nice,” Nozomi smiled.  
  
“Oh, also could you make Umi’s regular please? And some manjuu to go?”  
  
“On it.”  
  
“So, how’s Honoka-chan?” Nozomi asked. Yukiho shrugged as she got to work.

  
“Eh, she’s the same as always. Although,” The younger Kousaka grinned.  
  
“Apparently she’s seeing someone.”  
  
“Hmm?” Nozomi’s eyes gleamed as a Cheshire grin formed on her face.  
  
“Who is this person lucky enough to attract Honoka’s very limited attention span?”  
  
Yukiho laughed as she poured the peppermint chai tea for Nozomi.  
  
“Apparently a school teacher from UTX. Y’know, that big fancy school near Akibara?”  
  
“Interesting,” Nozomi mused, while Yukiho proceeded onto Rin’s latte.  
  
“I haven’t met them yet, but I hope mum and dad approve of them.”  
  
“I’m sure they will,” Nozomi’s grin stayed on her face as she did the best to hide the sinkhole of sadness that formed in her stomach.  
  
“I mean, Umi and Kotori are engaged with their parent’s approving. Who knows how mum and dad will react?”  
  
Nozomi chuckled awkwardly, and made a fist with her left hand to try and counteract the depression seeping its way through her body.  
  
“By the way, when’s the date for their wedding anyway?”  
  
“I’m not sure, I’ve been meaning to ask Umi-chan, actually,” the sudden slight change of topic eased the green-eyed girl.  
  
However, she felt Eli’s eyes on her, and turned around to give the blonde a smile and a wink.  
  
“Man, I envy you and Eli, Nozomi,” Yukiho sighed, pouring Umi’s black tea into a takeaway cup. Nozomi shrugged and put her hands in her pockets.  
  
“How so?”  
  
“You two have this…connection, like you’re meant to be together,” Yukiho placed the lids on the three cups, then pulled out tongs to get the manjuu.  
  
“How long have you two been together for?”  
  
“Four years.”  
  
“Wow, and you live together, huh,”  
  
“Indeed we do,”  
  
“What’s it like?”  
  
Nozomi looked over at Eli again, and have a sheepish grin. The artist then leaned in towards Yukiho and lowered her voice.  
  
The young Kousaka had to avert her eyes from Nozomi’s impressive chest.  
  
“Every morning, I have to wake her up at 6am because she doesn’t get up to her own alarm. I also get a few texts every now and then before I leave the house to remind me to do things I already know. Sometimes, we argue so loudly that the neighbours come to see if we are okay. On occasion, she goes out with Nico and Honoka and gets pretty drunk, so I need to go get her. Oh, and sometimes, when we’re doin’ the do, our bed hits the wall so hard that, again, the neighbours get pretty upse-”  
  
Nozomi stopped and laughed at the look on Yukiho’s face, eye twitching.  
  
“But, all of that aside,” Nozomi looked over at Eli again, and sighed.  
  
“I believe Eli truly _is_ my soul mate, and I wouldn’t have my life any other way.”

 

* * *

 

“Nozomi’-senpai’s taking her sweet time, hey?” Rin looked over at her boss, but Eli just grinned.  
  
“She likes to talk to everyone, as you surely know.”  
  
“That’s true,” A grin form on the athlete’s face. Maki looked down at the notebook, then frowned.  
  
“Wait, Eli-senpai?”  
  
“Yes?” Eli looked at her collegue, who pointed at a line.  
  
“Is Nico no longer doing payroll on Saturdays?”  
  
Eli looked down, then bit her lip.  
  
“No, she’s not.”  
  
“Then who’s going to do it?” Maki looked worried, and Eli pointed to herself.  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes, I can do it from home. It only takes a few minutes, anyway,” Eli looked at Maki, who just stared back. Eli sighed and rested her cheek on her left hand.  
  
“Nico didn’t do it last week, and I cannot afford for that to happen again.”  
  
Rin chuckled at the pun, but Eli ignored this.  
  
“I will do it at exactly 4:30pm on Saturdays for the time being. And one day, I will show you how to do payroll.”  
  
“R-Really?” Maki blinked, clutching at her cup. Eli nodded.  
  
“I promise. But first,” Eli grinned and poked Maki’s nose with her first finger.  
  
“You need to be more friendly with customers, missy.”  
  
“Huh?!”  
  
“Rin-chan, here’s your latte,” Nozomi handed her apprentice the drink.  
  
“Now, let’s continue our review on the way back to the shop, okay?”  
  
“R-Right!” Rin jumped out of her chair.  
  
“What time are you going to be home tonight?” Eli asked Nozomi, who looked at her phone.  
  
“Probably sometime after 7pm? I have one client in an hour, but it’s quite a big work so I’ll probably have to stay back.”  
  
“Okay,” Eli sighed, which made Nozomi tilt her head to the side and shrug.  
  
“Back-pieces take a long time, and they’re quite exhausting, too.”  
  
“A back-piece?” Maki looked confused. Rin took out her phone and opened up her photo gallery. She showed a picture to Maki, who actually gasped.  
  
“Her _entire_ back?!”  
  
“Yep! Nozomi-senpai did the outline last week, and that took about six hours or so,”  
  
“ _Six hours?!_ ”  
  
“You know what they say, Maki-chan,” Rin took a sip of her coffee.  
  
“Beauty is pain.”  
  
“Did you want me to bring home takeout or something?” Nozomi asked Eli, ignoring the younger girls.  
  
“Might as well, I’m not particularly in any mood to cook.”  
  
“Would you be in a different mood for a different domestic activity when I get home?”  
  
Rin choked on her coffee as Eli turned bright red and elbowed her girlfriend in the stomach.  
  
“Oh come on!” Eli’s eyes twitched at the comment, but Nozomi struck again.  
  
“I can later tonight, if you like?”  
  
“Urgh, you’re unbelievable,” Eli scoffed and swatted Nozomi away. Yet the artist swooped down to kiss the florist on the cheek.  
  
“I’ll see you tonight at home, Elichi.”  
  
“See you,” Eli sighed, letting a blush graze her cheeks as Nozomi and Rin left the sweetshop.


	10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To' is a jazz standard. Most notible recordings are done by Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Paul Chambers.

Nozomi waved off the client, hiding the tiredness as best as she could. Back-pieces were physically and psychologically draining, for both the artist and the client.  
  
Umi locked her piercing room door and tied her hair into a ponytail, ready to run to the train station. Nozomi looked over at the body piercer with a tired smile.  
  
“Woah, you look beat,” Umi noticed the green eyes droop, and it reminded her of Kotori. Nozomi chuckled and leaned against the counter.  
  
“I’m fine, that was just a big piece,” she looked over at Rin, who was cleaning up the station and still in awe of the work Nozomi had done.  
  
“Although, it was nice to tattoo something that _I_ also enjoy,”  
  
“Women?” Umi raised an eyebrow, making her boss laugh.  
  
“I meant the design. That girl works at a small shrine nearby, and that tattoo was related to Shinto, Umi. Didn’t you notice?”  
  
“I didn't get a good look, too busy piercing navals” Umi shrugged, then whipped out her phone.  
  
“Hey, Nozomi?”  
  
“Hmm?” The artist lazily looked up with bleary eyes. Umi grinned and put her phone down.  
  
“How about you head off and I’ll close up with Rin?”  
  
“Oh, you don’t have t-”  
  
“You can’t even keep your eyes open, and Eli will get worried, even if she _does_ know you were going to be late.”  
  
“Argh, I still need to pick up takeout,” Nozomi grumbled and stared out of the glass windows of her shop.  
  
“Looks like it’ll be late night Thai,” she mumbled, and Umi clapped a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“Go home, Nozomi. I’ll close up with Rin, maybe even get her used to cashing up.”  
  
Nozomi looked at her piercer and friend, lips parted slightly. However, she knew when she had lost, and grinned.  
  
“Okay, I’ll see you two tomorrow,” The boss went to the break room and fetched her bag and beanie.  
  
“Just remember t-”  
  
“Vaccum, set the alarm, bank, close the safe and double check all the machines are turned off,” Umi cut Nozomi off with a grin.  
  
“You’re turning into Eli, seriously.”  
  
-

 

After picking up her order from _24 Hours Thai,_ Nozomi waited at the bus stop in a comfortable silence, earphones in and _Softengine_ blaring. Despite being a very spiritual person, the artist couldn’t not love some indie rock and pop punk.  


She opened her apartment door, and was so tired that she didn’t call out “I’m home,” like she normally did. Nozomi felt a familiar pang of emptiness inside her stomach, and it reminded her of her lonely youth days.  
  
“Nozomi?” Eli called out, then poked her head into the hallway. Sure enough, there was Nozomi, sitting on the floor taking off her shoes.  
  
“G’evenin’, Elichi,” Nozomi’s voice was quiet, and wavered. Eli walked forward and helped her girlfriend to her feet.  
  
“Wow, you look exhausted,”  
  
“So people tell me,” although she was practically dead on her feet, Nozomi’s smile was ever present. Eli took the artist’s bag and the takeout away, and ordered her to have a shower while she set up dinner for them on the couch.  
  
“Wait, the couch?”  
  
“It’d be more comfortable for you than the dining table. I’ll get us some trays.”  
  
Nozomi barely had the energy to stumble into the bathroom, let alone tell Eli how much she loved her.  
  
-

  
Nozomi stripped down to her bra, then looked at herself in the mirror again. The bags under her eyes were prominent, and her cheeks were very pale. Her eyes lingered on her chest tattoo; it was an owl with a crown of roses on its head, and it held a tarot card in its left talon: the moon.  
  
When the warm water splashed onto her body, Nozomi felt like going to sleep then and there, but she didn’t want to catch a cold and send Eli’s anxiety into hyper drive.  
  
Nozomi washed her body and leaned against the wall, resting her head against the tiles.  
  
“Nozomi,” Eli tapped on the door.  
  
“Is everything okay?”  
  
“Yes, I’m almost done, Elichi,” Nozomi called back, tilting her head so that the water would splash over her face before turning off the taps.  
  
Eli was already sitting on the couch already, a tray in her lap with pad thai on a plate. When Nozomi walked into the room, drying her long, purple hair, Eli just pointed to the kitchen.  
  
“Yours is already there, just bring it over,” Eli instructed, not taking her eyes away from the television.  
  
“What are you watching?” Nozomi asked as she sat down on the couch. Eli shrugged and put the volume up. The show had a group of British nurses riding bicycles.  
  
“Maki recommended this, I think it’s called _‘Call The Midwife’_ or something? It’s a period drama.”  
  
“Interesting,” Nozomi mused quietly, taking her fork and stabbing her pad thai with it.  
  
The two were silent as they watched the show, and Eli couldn’t help but let out tears of joy when the baby was born.  
  
“Trixie did such a great job,” Eli smiled. She had placed her tray on the coffee table and was now sitting cross-legged on the couch, deeply invested in the British drama.  
  
Nozomi had not been paying attention, nor had she eaten a whole lot.  
  
“Hey, are you okay?” Eli looked over at the food still present on the artist’s plate, and furrowed her brows in concern. Nozomi blinked, then looked down at the tray.  
  
“Oh…yeah, I’m fine,” her voice was airy as she put another forkful of noodles into her mouth. Eli sighed and paused the television.  
  
“Fine my elbow, you are _so_ tired,” Eli pushed her back into the side of the couch and extended her legs. She then beckoned Nozomi into her embrace.  
  
“Here, lie down on me.”  
  
“But…the food,”  
  
“If you can talk and tattoo at the same time, then this should be pretty similar,” Eli grinned.  
  
Looking from her tray to her girlfriend, Nozomi sighed at oblidged. She leaned her back against Eli’s chest, and rested her arms on Eli’s thighs with the tray in her lap.  
  
“Your legs may cramp,” Nozomi mumbled, but Eli pressed ‘play’ on the remote again and shrugged.  
  
“Eh, it doesn’t matter. Just eat your food so you don’t wake up at 3am whining about an empty stomach.”  
  
Nozomi tilted her head to lock eyes with Eli upside down.  
  
“You know me too well.”  



	11. Mutt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mutt - Blink 182

Eli and Nozomi went to bed rather early, seeing as the latter couldn’t keep her eyes open. The second the artist’s head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.  
  
“Jeez, you really _are_ tired,” Eli smiled at her sleeping lover, and gently brushed the purple hair away from her face. The blonde leaned down and kissed Nozomi’s temple, and smiling as a soft mumble escaped the sleeping girl’s lips.  
  
“Night, Elichi…”  
  
“Good night, Nozomi,” Eli settled herself down and wrapped her arms around Nozomi’s waist, feeling sleep take over her as well.  
  


* * *

When Eli opened her blue eyes, she grumbled at the nightlight on her beside table.  
  
Why the hell was she awake? What was the time even? Surely her body clock didn’t hate her _that_ much.

However, when she lifted her head to try and find out what the time was, a whimper came from beneath her.  
  
_‘Hmm?’_ Eli looked down, and felt her heart sank.  
  
Nozomi, still asleep, was whimpering and crying, tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she clutched at herself.  
  
Her body started to twitch as the whimpers grew louder.  
  
“S-Stop…No….”  
  
_“Oh no,”_ Eli gently placed an arm on Nozomi’s shoulder, and shook the 26-year-old gently.  
  
“Nozomi, Nozomi,”  
  
“No…please stop...p-please!”  
  
“Nozomi, wake up,” Eli raised her voice slightly, and when the tears started to trickle down her cheeks, Eli started to worry.  
  
The florist placed her other hand on Nozomi’s shoulder, and shook her harder.  
  
“Nozomi!”  
  
Sure enough, the artist’s eyes snapped open with a gasp. Sweat was beading on Nozomi's forehead as she took deep breaths, clutching at the bed sheets lightly, as if she’d fall into an abyss if she let go.  
  
“…Nozomi?” Eli’s voice was quiet, so to not startle the spooked girl.  
  
Nozomi didn’t speak, but slowly sat up and tried to regain control over her breathing.  
  
Eli waited patiently, and gently rubbed circles on Nozomi’s back, catching glimpses of the poem going down her neck.  
  
Silence engulfed them, except for Nozomi’s heavy breathing. Eli gently took the artist’s left hand with her own and held it.  
  
“E-Elichi,” Nozomi stuttered softly, staring at the bed sheets with eyes glistening from tears.  
  
“I…Had a nightmare,”  
  
“I noticed,” Eli responded while Nozomi groaned and fumbled around her bedside table for something.  
  
“Did you want to talk about it?” Eli asked as Nozomi straightened up with a cigarette in her hand.  
  
Nozomi was about to light it, but froze at the question, her green eyes locking onto blue.  
  
“Nozomi,” Eli gently moved her right hand from Nozomi’s back to the green-eyed girl’s shoulder.  
  
“You know you can tell me anything,”  
  
“I know, but I don’t want to worry you…”

“And you think I won’t worry regardless?” Eli raised an eyebrow, and grinned when Nozomi chuckled.  
  
“That’s true,” Nozomi blinked the tears out of her face and lit up the cigarette with shaking hands.  
  


* * *

 

 

“A nightmare?” Nico looked up from the daffodils she was watering, and Eli nodded. The blonde was leaning against the counter, staring at her phone.  
  
“Yes, she was crying in her sleep, too.”  
  
“That’s scary,” Nico remarked. Maki, who was wrapping up more buqouets, frowned.  
  
“Indeed, and this is the first one she’s had in a while.”  
  
“You mean she’s had them before?” Maki asked.  
  
Eli just nodded.  
  
“But, Nozomi seems like a very calm and spiritual person. Aren’t people who are super zen supposed to, like, _not_ have nightmares?” Maki asked.  
  
“Nozomi might _seem_ like she’s in control, but she has her issues,” Eli wrote down notes on the red roses in her planner.  
  
“Nozomi is the _last_ person I’d expect to have issues,” Maki remarked, and Eli chuckled.  
  
“Oh boy, you could not be more wrong.”  
  
“R-Really?” Maki was shocked, and Nico flashed her a sly smile.  
  
“Of course _you_ wouldn’t know, Maki, you haven’t known Eli long enough to know about Nozomi.”  
  
“Hey, I’ve met Nozomi multiple times!” Maki fell into Nico’s trap and angrily twirled her hair around her finger.  
  
Eli sighed, not really wanting to talk about her girlfriend’s problems to Maki or Nico right now.  
  
  
Nozomi had a hard time opening up to Eli in their first year of dating. It had been like pulling teeth out, but eventually, Nozomi told Eli about her depressing childhood. Her parents would constantly move due to their work, which meant Nozomi had no friends, because she’d be in a school for a few months, then off to another one before she knew it.  
However, that wasn’t the main issue.  
  
Nozomi knew she was a strange child: her head was constantly in a book, she would hang out local shrines and draw all over her textbooks. While Nozomi’s mother thought it was completely fine, and nothing out of the oridinary of a ‘gifted’ child, her father was concerned about her inability to communicate with other children, and took her out of regular primary school and placed her in a selective boarding school in Nara. During this time, she discovered who she was, and what she wanted to do once she left school.  
  
But her father disagreed, and was completely livid.  
  


* * *

 

“Hey, your 1pm’s here,” Umi tapped Nozomi on the shoulder. She was out the back, having another cigarette.  
  
“Ah, lovely,” Nozomi smiled and threw the butt onto the ground.  
  
“Let’s get to it,” she walked past Umi and into the store, but the piercer saw the dark areas under Nozomi’s eyes.  
  
“Hey, are you okay?” Umi asked, tapping Nozomi on the back.  
  
“Oh, I’m fine. Just had a bit of trouble sleeping,” Nozomi’s smile was permanently on her face, and Umi scowled.  
  
“Yeah, and I’m the king of Germany. What’s up?”  
  
Nozomi stopped walking and leaned against the wall.  
  
“I just woke up in the middle of the night and went back to sleep. I am awake, Umi-chan, and I am fine. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to tattoo a charm onto a tourist’s ankle.”  
  
Umi was shocked as Nozomi walked right passed her into the shop and greeted the foreigner.  
  
  
Rin looked on from a station, working on flower tattoos.  
  
“Something’s up with her,” Umi had walked over and muttered to Rin, who nodded.  
  
“Yep, I agree. She did have a nightmare last night.”  
  
“How do you know?” Umi raised her eyebrows at the apprentice.  
  
“I heard from Kayo-chin. Apparently Eli told Nico and Maki, who then told Honoka, Kotori and Kayo-chin, who told me.”  
  
“It’s a real gossip circle now,” Umi sighed, and Rin shrugged sheepishly.  
  
“You know what Nico’s like.”  
  
“True,” Umi looked on at Nozomi and her client. Nozomi was showing the design to the enthusiastic young girl.  
  
“Good thing Nozomi can speak English, I guess…wait, do _I_ have to learn English to be a tattoo artist?!” Rin panicked and turned to Umi, who leapt back because the tattoo machine was still in Rin’s hand.  
  
“ _Put that down!!”_ Umi ordered, and Rin jumped again, remembering what was in her hand.  
  
The apprentice quickly kicked the switch to turn it off and placed it back in its holder.  
  
“Is everything okay over there?” Nozomi smiled at the two with her eyes gleaming.  
  
“Y-Yes! Everything’s fine, senpai!” Rin bowed an apology, but still felt Umi’s angry glare on her neck.  
  
“S-Sorry, Umi-senpai…” Rin also apologized with a bow to the piercer, who pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.  
  
“It’s fine, Rin, just be very careful,” Umi mumbled. Rin turned the tattoo machine back on and got back to work on the flowers Nozomi had set for her to do.  
  
“And no, you don’t have to be fluent in English to be a tattoo artist,” Umi added, stuffing her hands into her jeans pockets.  
  
Rin let out a sigh of relief.

 

* * *

 

The store phone rang, and Maki rushed to grab it.  
  
“ _Bibi_ Flowers, Maki speaking,”  
  
“Maki-chan! It’s Hanayo from _Printemps Childcare Centre,_ ”  
  
“I know who you are, Hanayo, we live together,” Maki sighed, making the other girl stutter.  
  
“S-S-Sorry! It’s a work greeting!”  
  
“Don’t worry about it, what’s up?”  
  
“W-Well, Rin and I were thinking of having some work friends over on Friday night for dinner? Would that be okay with you?”  
  
“Um, sure? I don’t see a problem,”  
  
“Great! And did you want to bring anyone from your work over? Rin said her bosses would come, and so will mine, so why don’t you bring yours?”  
  
“I’ll have to ask; I know Eli has Fridays off. What time did you want everyone over?”  
  
“W-Well, the day-care centre closes at 5:30, and the tattoo parlour closes at 6, so maybe 7:30?”  
  
“Yeah, that’s fine, we close at 6, too.”  
  
“Fantastic! Please let me know if your work friends are coming! See you tonight!”  
  
“See you,” Maki hung up and sighed, then turned to Nico, who was seeing a customer to the door after a purchase. Eli finished wrapping a box of flowers up with a grin.  
  
“H-Hey, Nico? Eli?” Maki walked up to the 26-year-olds.  
  
“Yeah?” Nico turned around once the customer left the shop. Maki looked awkwardly at the ground and started to rub her arm.  
  
“S-So my housemates are having a dinner party thing on Friday…did…did you want to come along?”  
  
Eli blinked, and then looked at Nico.  
  
“Are you inviting us, your boss and workmate, over for dinner?” Nico’s smug grin made Maki twitch.  
  
“H-hey! It’s not like I’m _forcing_ you to come or anything, it’s an offer you don’t have to t-”  
  
“Sure,” Eli shrugged.  
  
“N-Nozomi will probably be invited as well, since she’s Rin’s boss and all…”  
  
“Are you three roommates inviting your bosses over for a raise or something?” Nico’s girn spread to her ears. Maki was turning the same shade of red as her hair.  
  
“It’s called being _polite!_ Something _you_ wouldn’t know!”  
  
“Ouch, Maki!” Nico chuckled and folded her arms.  
  
“Are you coming or not?!” Maki’s hands were now fists by her side.  
  
“Yes! I’ll come along, jeez! You don’t have to be such a bitch, that’s Eli’s Job!”  
  
“Watch it,” Eli side-eyed Nico, and the black-haired girl felt chills run down her spine. Eli looked back at Maki and smiled.  
  
“I’m looking forward to seeing your new place, Maki.”


	12. Dance Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dance Inside - The All-American Rejects (hey, don't judge me. I'll forever be a 15-year-old punk rock wannabe.)

Nozomi walked the client out of the store, smiling and talking in English effortlessly. Once the client had left, she leaned against the door frame and folded her arms: ankle tattoos were difficult, that’s for sure.  
  
“So how many tourists have you tattooed now? A hundred?” Umi grinned as Nozomi shut the door and walked back to the counter to add the tattoo to her portfolio.   
  
“More like a thousand,” Nozomi grinned. She was popular with tourists because she could speak English, and was always so friendly. Umi chuckled and checked her schedule.  
  
“I’ve got three piercings back to back at 4, _that’ll_ be enjoyable.”  
  
“Just don’t rush, yeah? No one wants a piercing that’s been done under a time constraint.”  
  
“And no one wants a tattoo done by a tired artist.”  
  
Umi knew she shouldn’t have said it out loud, but she couldn’t help it. Nozomi put down her phone and looked at the piercer, eyes narrowed and lips pursed.  
  
“I’m not tired, Umi.”  
  
_“Uh oh, no honorific,”_ Umi thought as she balled her hands into fists.   
  
“Last night, I had a nightmare. Naturally, Elichi woke me up, then we went back to sleep. I still got up at a reasonable time and feel completely and utterly fine. Just because there may be _some_ bags under my eyes does not mean I’m tired. Do I make myself clear.”  
  
Umi bit her lip, making her snakebite glint in the light. She then stuffed her hands back into her pockets and sighed.  
  
“If you say so, I’m just worried about you.”  
  
“Right back at you, Umi-chan,” Nozomi’s glare immediately turned into a smile.  
  
“You’re getting married soon! That’s something much more important to worry about than your boss.”  
  
“B-but-”  
  
“Not buts, Umi-chan!” Nozomi grinned, then adjusted her black t-shirt.  
  
“I need to clean my station and check on Rin-chan, now.”  
  


As the tattoo artist walked off, Umi furrowed her brow in thought.  
  
_“If she’s not tired, where did the shadows come fr-”_  
  
Then, it hit her.  
  
With a grunt of annoyance, Umi turned on her heel and walked into her piercing room to ready herself for her incoming clients: she’d have to talk to Nozomi about it once the day was over.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, home time,” Eli smiled, taking off her apron and dusting down her jeans. It was exactly 4pm, and she was ready to go home.   
  
Alisa was going to ballet with a their mother today to talk to miss Yoshino, so Eli was able to go directly home and start her two days off.   
  
“I will see you both tomorrow night, then,” Eli grinned at Maki and Nico.   
  
“Maki, could you please text me your address?”  
  
“Sure, I’ll do that tonight,”   
  
“Great, I’ll see you both then.”  
  
Eli left her shop feeling much lighter than before, but that was because the start of her weekend was now.   
  
Friday and Saturday were the days she could just sit back and do nothing (aside from payroll for ten minutes on Saturday.) her days off mainly consisted of her going for a run, doing some stretches and making jewellery from scratch.   
  
Not to mention the little adventures she and Nozomi went on in the evening.   
  
“What should I cook for dinner?” Eli thought to herself as she adjusted her shoulder bag.

They had yakiniku on Tuesday, takeout last night, so perhaps it was time for a change.   
  
“Stroganoff,” she smiled, then turned into a side street to get the ingredients.

 

* * *

  
  
“Everyone ready to go?” Nozomi called out to Umi and Rin. Both were standing at the front of the shop with the door open.  
  
“Yes!” Rin was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.   
  
Nozomi chuckled and punched in the alarm. Once it started to tick, she walked calmly to the front door and shut it.   
  
“Well, today we did well,” she locked the door and smiled at her work colleagues.   
  
“Now it’s time to start my days off! There’s a flea market happening in Akibara that I’d like to take Elichi too on Saturday,”  
  
“Oh! That reminds me!” Rin perked up from the warmth of her three hoodies.   
  
“Tomorrow night, Kayo-chin, Maki and I are having a dinner party, and you are all invited! Kayo-chin’s workmates will be there, so will Maki’s by the sound of things.”  
  
“That sounds good to me, I’ll just come along with Kotori,” Umi smiled, stuffing her hands deeper into her jacket’s pockets.   
  
Rin turned to Nozomi, “You’re more than welcome to bring Eli-san if you like, Senpai.”  
  
“That sounds lovely, we’ll definitely be there,” Nozomi smiled, she hadn’t been to Rin’s new place yet.  
  
“Fantastic! I’ll text you both the address when I get home. It’ll start around 7:30,”

 

* * *

 

When Nozomi opened the apartment door, a smell backhanded her in the face.  
  
“Elichi, is that what I think it is?” Nozomi hurridly took off her shoes and practically bounced into the kitchen.  
  
Eli was over the stove in that joke apron again with the television on in the background.   
  
“It might be,” was the response, so Nozomi walked closer and wrapped her arms around Eli’s stomach.  
  
“Oh my, it _is_ ,” Nozomi’s glee filled Eli.  
  
“Beef Stroganoff, nearly identical to how my mum makes it.”  
  
“Well,” Nozomi pulled on the frilly pink apron and let her smile become mischievous   
  
“I don’t think your mum wears _this_ when she cooks, does she?”  
  
Eli swatted Nozomi’s hand away from the apron.  
  
“Can you get some plates out?” the blonde pointed to the cabinet.  
  
“Are you feeling any better?” she added while the artist took out two plates.  
  
“Why does everyone think that having one nightmare is like having a piano dropped on me?”  
  
“Because, believe it or not, Nozomi, people care about you,” Eli bumped her hip against Nozomi’s and giggled.   
  
“Remember how we talked about opening up to people?”  
  
Nozomi sighed as she placed the plates down.  
  
“Does _everyone_ know about this?”  
  
“Only Maki and Nico,” Eli reassured, scooping out stroganoff onto the plates. Nozomi took off her coat and went to hang it up.  
  
“Elichi, I’m fine. Nightmares happen to everyone,” Nozomi slid back into the kitchen on her socks.  
  
“By the way, I take it you’re going to Rin-chan’s dinner party tomorrow?”  
  
“Yes, because Maki lives with her and invited me. It must be a housewarming,” Eli handed Nozomi a plate of stroganoff.   
  
“Well, we’re going regardless.”  


-

“Okay, how _do_ you get this to taste so good, Elichi?” Nozomi felt the beef melt in her mouth, it was so succulent. Eli rested her cheek on her hand and grinned.  
  
“It’s an old family recipe. Grandma taught mum, who taught me and Alisa, and then I’ll teach my children someday,” Eli placed the beef in her mouth as Nozomi took a drink of tea.  
  
“You would like children?” Nozomi asked, moving the tea cup away from her lips. Eli looked off in thought, then shrugged.  
  
“I don’t know, honestly. I mean, maybe down the track?”  
  
“I think you’d be a wonderful mother, Elichi,” Nozomi’s eyes twinkled, making Eli blush.  
  
“Oh hush you, damn smooth-talker…” Eli picked up her glass of water as Nozomi snorted.  
  
“It’s the truth,” Nozomi moved the beef over to some mushrooms with her fork.  
  
“I hope when I have children, that things would be different to what I went through…”   
  
“Hmm?” Eli looked up, and saw the pain in Nozomi’s eyes instantly.   
  
“Hey,” she reached across the table and grabbed the artist’s hand, rubbing her thumb over the Kanji.  
  
“You will be an _excellent_ mother. Your past has nothing to do with _our_ future,”  
  
Nozomi’s eyes crinkled at the edges, overflowing with adoration for the 26-year-old woman sitting across from her.  
  
“Well, I already have a child, and she needs to overcome her squeamishness for pigskin.”  
  
Eli laughed, “Come to think of it, I also have two children who won’t stop bickering.”  
  
“Yep, we’ll be _great_ parents,” Nozomi chuckled.

 -

“So, what did you want to do tomorrow? During the day, that is,” Eli asked Nozomi as she entered their bedroom. Nozomi let down her hair and humed in thought.  
  
“Sleep in for once?”  
  
Eli chuckled as she pulled back the bed sheets.  
  
“Yes, I’d like that.”  
  
“Well we have plenty of time to kill before that dinner party, was there anything you _needed_ to do?” Nozomi took off her shirt and bra.   
  
As the artist looked around for a tank top to sleep in, Eli gazed at the art on her girlfriend’s back: Her left shoulder blade had the sun, and her right had the moon. Inbetween them was the poem in Kanji. Beneath that was a Shinto shrine, and on the sides of her back were the F-holes.  
  
“I love how you just decided to become a violin one day,” Eli mused, and Nozomi smirked over her shoulder.  
  
“We’ve been through this, Elichi, I’m a cello.”  
  
“Ah, of _course,_ silly me,” Eli set up her pillow against the bed head.  
  
“Even though you can be as squeaky and annoying as a violin at times.”  
  
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Nozomi threw a black tank top over herself and slipped on some purple pyjama pants.   
  
She then crawled into bed, and flopped onto the mattress. Eli hissed in slight annoyance, and huffed when Nozomi wrapped her arms around her.  
  
“Y’Know, Elichi,” The green eyes flashed mischevious as she moved her hands up and down her waist.  
  
“You have very nimble fingers,”  
  
Eli braced herself, because she knew what was coming next.   
  
“Perhaps you can put them to use and play me like a cello?”  
  
She couldn’t help it, she _had_ to groan at the atrocity of the pun.   
  
However, the florist shifted her body to face Nozomi’s and reached up to snake her arms around her neck.  
  
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but cellos don’t usually talk,” she became mesmerized by the grin on Nozomi’s face, and couldn’t help by laugh when Nozomi bought her right hand to her mouth and zipped it shut, then threw away the key.  
  
“ _That’s_ more like it,” Eli then captured Nozomi’s lips with her own, and pulled her down onto the mattress, kicking the bed sheets up to cover them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	13. Mercy, Mercy Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mercy, Mercy Me - The Strokes

Even though the curtains were closed, and it was _still_ winter, the sun’s rays were snaking their way into the bedroom to hit the bed sheets. Particles became visible from the rays of light, but both girls were still sleeping soundly.  
  
Eli clung onto Nozomi, refusing to be woken up by the sun. The latter, however, slowly opened her eyes.  
  
The green optics focused on the clock on the wall, then a lazily grin formed on her face: 9:45am.  
  
Nozomi shut her eyes again as Eli nuzzled closer. Both were completely naked from their…enjoyment...the previous night.

 

The next to wake up was Eli, who grumbled at the sun in Russian. However, she felt fairly well rested, and her feet were light.  
  
She also squinted at the clock hanging on the wall: 10:05am. With a smile, she shut her eyes.  
  
Beside her, Nozomi’s eyes fluttered open again, and she stretched out her arms over the bed, brushing the carpet with the back of her fingers.  
  
“…’Zomi…” Eli mumbled, pulling her girlfriend closer. Nozomi chuckled, her chest rising and falling with the action, and shifted her body to face Eli’s.  
  
“Good morning, Elichi,” Nozomi lightly kissed Eli on the nose, and the blonde scrunched up her face.  
  
“Stop it…I saw the clock…”  
  
Nozomi peered at the clock, and grinned.  
  
“This is a new record for us,” Nozomi idly played with the blonde hair.  
  
“Did you want a hot chocolate?”  
  
Eli nodded, and Nozomi chuckled.  
  
“I’ll need to leave the bed to make you one, Elichi,”  
  
“Can’t you do it here?”  
  
“We do not have a milk-frother in our bedroom,”  
  
“Well we should,” Eli pulled Nozomi closer, and the tattoo artist carefully pried herself from Eli’s grip.  
  
“Three minutes, and I’ll be back,” Nozomi told Eli, who whined at the sudden lack of warmth.  
  
Nozomi put her pyjama shorts and tank top back on before heading to the kitchen.  
  
The heater had been humming all night, making the kitchen and living room rather toasty.  
  
While in the kitchen, Nozomi felt the craving come along, and sighed.  
  
“Seriously? I haven’t even had breakfast yet,” she mumbled and tapped her stomach.  
  
When Nozomi walked back into the room with the mug of hot chocolate, she noticed that Eli hadn’t moved. With a snort of laughter, Nozomi poked the florist lightly, and sighed when a lazy hand swatted her away.  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi placed her left hand on the bottom of the mug while her right still held the handle.  
  
“I left the comfort and warmth of this bed on my day off to make you a hot chocolate, so do you think you could wake up and appreciate the effort I went to make this?”  
  
Eli opened her eyes, blue staring into the green, then pouted.  
  
“Way to guilt trip, Nozomi,” she grumbled, sitting up and pulling the bed sheet with her, as she was still naked. Nozomi handed the drink to her with that ever-present smile.  
  
Eli took the drink out of Nozomi’s hands and settled herself against the bed head.  
  
“Enjoy,” Nozomi reached over for a cigarette from her bedside table as Eli took a sip.  
  
“Seriously, how _do_ you make them so perfect?” Eli looked up from the mug and licked her milk moustache away. Nozomi lit up the cigarette and shrugged.  
  
“I just use a lot of chocolate.”  
  
“Well I’m lucky that I work out,” Eli chuckled as Nozomi exhaled smoke. There were bags underneath the artist’s eyes again.  
  
“There was something I’d like to do today,”  
  
The blonde bit her lip.  
  
“H-Hey, Nozomi?”  
  
Nozomi turned to look at Eli with a smile.  
  
“Yes, Elichi?”  
  
Eli’s voice gave out, so she cleared her throat.  
  
“How many cigarettes do you smoke a day?”  
  
Nozomi frowned in thought, “Anywhere between four and six?”  
  
_“Four to six?!”_ Eli choked on her drink as Nozomi exhaled more smoke.  
  
“Hey, Nico smokes like three packets or something a day, that’s nothing compared to her.”  
  
“This isn’t about Nico, this is about you,” Eli groaned.  
  
“I seem to be a popular topic these days,” Nozomi raised and eyebrow as Eli set her drink to the side.  
  
“It’s not healthy, Nozomi,”  
  
“I know,”  
  
“Then _why_ do you smoke?”  
  
“It eases stress and clears the mind,” Nozomi used the same reasons every time someone asked her that very question: Eli had asked her so many times that it was just an automated response.  
  
“I was so proud when you quit for two months,” Eli mumbled.  
  
“You’re weren’t the only one.”

Silence swirled around them again, so Nozomi cleared her throat and tapped the excess into her ashtray.  
  
“What did you want to do today?”

Eli inwardly growled at the change of subject, but played along: They would continue this discussion at a later date.  
  
She got out of bed and went to put on some clothes.  
  
“Well, we have the whole day to do whatever we want,” Nozomi looked over as her phone lit up: A message from Rin.  
  
“We now have Rin-chan’s address,” Nozomi smiled and saved it in her notes.  
  
Eli clipped her bra and went to put on some underwear, but when she looked down…  
  
“…Nozomi?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“Does this look right to you?” Eli turned around and stuck out her stomach. Nozomi got out of bed and peered at Eli’s stomach.  
  
“…If I say it looks like you’ve gained weight, would you hit me?”  
  
“Not my _stomach_ ,” Eli pointed to her naval.  
  
“It’s the piercing,”  
  
“Oh,” Nozomi stared at Eli’s pierced naval that Umi had done years ago.  
  
There was a light pink ring around the top where the blue barbell was.  
  
“Does it hurt?” Nozomi asked, and Eli shook her head.  
  
“No, it doesn’t. Maybe I slept on it funny?”  
  
“Perhaps, or maybe it got knocked about during our fun last night,” Nozomi grinned, and Eli huffed in annoyance.  
  
“It would’ve _known_ if it got knocked about, Nozomi,”  
  
“I’m not a piercer, Elichi, maybe ask Umi?”  
  
“I’ll text her, but we can worry about that later,” Eli smiled and looked at the sun’s ray coming through the window.  
  
“Why don’t we go to a café for lunch?”


	14. On My Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On My Way - The Cat Empire
> 
> this is cross-posted to Fanfiction.Net

The place Maki shared with Rin and Hanayo was on the third floor of a small apartment building.

It was fairly close to their respective shops, and right near Yushima station.

It was 7:26pm by the time Eli and Nozomi got to the destination. Out the front, they saw a small but familiar figure, leaning against a lamppost with smoke coming from their right hand.  
  
“Nicochi,” Nozomi grinned, and the small figure shot upright at her nickname.  
  
“Nozomi, fancy seeing you here,” was the awkward response, followed by a drag on the cigarette. Nozomi raised an eyebrow.  
  
“I am Rin-chan’s boss and tattoo master, of course I’d come along to see her new place.”  
  
“Is everyone else inside?” Eli asked, rubbing her left hand on her right arm. Nozomi was holding Eli’s right hand with her left.  
  
“Most of them, we’re just waiting for Honoka. Apparently, she’s bringing her new lady.”  
  
“The famous new lady is real, I see,” Nozomi grinned as Nico took another drag.  
  
“I’m just finishing this off outside, then I’ll be in.”  
  
“Good idea,” Nozomi took out her own packet, and felt the cold stare from Eli.  
  
“Hey, just one, then I will be right in. I promise you,” Nozomi’s grin turned into a puppy-dog-pout, and the blonde groaned with frustration.  
  
“Fine, I’ll see you in there,” she let go of Nozomi’s hand and stalked off into the apartment building.

* * *

 

“Eli-san! Welcome!” A small girl with mousy brown hair opened the door and bowed. Eli bowed back and was invited inside.   
  
The place was clean and tidy, and smelled of mango. The table was extended and had ten plates already set.   
  
“Hello, everyone,” Eli greeted the five occupants.   
  
“Eli! Nice to see you again!” Kotori instantly got up from the table and hugged the blonde.  
  
“Where’s Nozomi?” Umi asked from the table.

Eli rolled her eyes, “Outside having a cigarette with Nico.”  
  
“Urgh, she needs to quit,” Umi pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
“I don’t understand why Nico smokes when she works at a flower shop,” Maki noted, twirling her hair.   
  
“I just don’t understand _why_ they do it in the first place,” Kotori sat back down with Eli next to her.   
  
“I’d love for Nozomi to quit, because she’s practically a skunk now,” Eli took off her jacket.  
  
“Did you know that there is this new craze called vaping?” Rin reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow cylindrical item.  
  
“It’s just flavoured smoke that some people use to ween themselves of real cigarettes!”  
  
“That’s a thing?” Umi eyed the device.   
  
“It’s apparently all the range in America and Europe,” Rin put the object to her mouth and inhaled, then blew out.  
  
“Mmm…Apple flavoured!”  
  
“There’s no nicotine or anything?” The wheels in Eli’s head started turning.  
  
“Nope! It’s completely harmless, and it’s cheap, too!”  
  
“That gives me an idea,” Eli took out her phone to write a note to herself as the door opened, and in stepped Nico and Nozomi.  
  
“Good evening everyone,” Nozomi smiled at the table.  
  
“Nozomi-senpai! Nice of you to join us!” Rin greeted her boss with smoke coming out of her mouth.   
  
“I’m here too!” Nico plonked down next to Maki.  
  
“But you were here, like, an hour ago,” Maki noted, making the small girl’s eyebrows twitch.   
  
-  
  
“So, how do you like the place, senpai?” Rin eagerly looked at Nozomi. The tattoo artist gazed around then looked back at her apprentice.  
  
“I think it’s lovely, Rin-chan,”  
  
Rin clenched her fist and brought them into her chest with glee.  
  
“So, Maki, how long have you been living here for?” Umi asked the redhead.  
  
“Um, I moved in last December?  
  
“What’s it like living away from home? It certainly took you long enough,” Nico smirked, and Maki just huffed.  
  
“I’m enjoying it, miss ‘I-still-live-at-home-even-though-I’m-26,’”  
  
“Ooh, burn!” Rin cheered as Nico scrunched up her face.  
  
“I have no need to move out! All my siblings are there and it’s not like I _can’t!”  
  
_ “Rin-chan, what are you holding there?” Nozomi caught sight of the small yellow vaper.   
  
“This?” Rin held it up.  
  
“It’s a vaper, it produces flavoured smoke, apparently,” Eli answered for Rin. Nozomi hummed and looked at Nico. They both knew where this was going.  
  
“Although Rin-chan doesn’t smoke, this is just a fun thing to do every and then for her. It’s just flavoured smoke, you see,” Hanayo took the device, stuck it in her mouth, and inhaled. When she exhaled, smoke came out.  
  
“It’s apple flavoured at the moment.”  
  
“Where did you get it from?” Eli asked Hanayo.  
  
“A shop in Akibahara, actually.”  
  
“How interesting,” Nozomi mused, playing dumb. Maki, however, spoke up.   
  
“They have candy flavoured smoke, Nico.”  
  
“Really?!” Nico perked up at once. Maki smirked, “Yep, they also have raspberry, strawberries, chocolate, lemon and caramel,”  
  
“Eugh,” Nozomi quietly retched at the caramel option.  
  
“It’s supposed to be an alternative to cigarettes, so that’ll be my birthday present to you,”  
  
“My birthday is in July,” Nico deadpanned.  
  
“How about a very late Christmas present?” Kotori smiled. Umi smirked at Nozomi, she knew she was playing dumb.  
  
“What flavour would _you_ like, Nozomi?”  
  
“Me?”  
  
“Yes, you.”  
  
“They don’t have yakiniku flavour, do they?”  
  
“No, but they have chocolate, Perhaps you and Eli can share?” Umi smiled at Eli, who raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Chocolate flavoured smoke…what’s next? Flying pigs?” Nozomi chuckled.

 


	15. Different People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My favourite song by 'No Doubt,' - Different People.

“Say, Umi?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Would you mind taking a look at my naval piercing for a minute?” Eli placed a hand on her stomach. Umi raised her eyebrows, but agreed nonetheless.  
  
“I might need a stronger light, though,”  
  
“Our bathroom is just behind you, Umi-senpai,” Rin pointed to the yellow door at the other end of the place.  
  
The florist and piercer walked into the bathroom and shut the door.  
  
“Okay,” Umi clapped her hands together, switching to ‘work mode.’  
  
“What’s up?”  
  
“Well,” Eli raised her white shirt up to show Umi, who bent down to get a closer look.  
  
“The skin has just gone red, all of a sudden.”  
  
Umi observed at the piercing, noticing how the top was tinged with red.  
  
“Would you mind if I touch it?” Umi asked, looking up at Eli.  
  
“Not at all,”  
  
Umi then got to her feet and washed her hands.  
  
“It’s a force of habit,” Umi grinned, but Eli waved it away.  
  
“I’m actually _glad_ you washed your hands. Nozomi does it as well before she applies makeup.”  
  
“I’ve taught her well,” Umi chuckled, then bent back down to gently press her fingers to the skin.  
  
“Does it hurt when I touch it?” Umi asked, and Eli shook her head.  
  
“Okay,” Umi gently applied more pressure.  
  
“Does it hurt at _all?_ ”  
  
“No,”  
  
“Okay, that’s a good sign,” Umi then ran her first finger over the red area and bit her lip in thought.  
  
“The skin seems rather warm, have you bumped or knocked it at all lately?”  
  
Eli’s cheeks flushed to match her stomach, and Umi chuckled.  
  
“Okay, let me rephrase: Any bumps or knocks that _haven’t_ involved Nozomi?”  
  
“N-Not really…” Eli thought as her cheeks died down.  
  
“I lean against the counter at work sometimes and bend over a bit?”  
  
“It looks like it’s just an irritation from leaning, then,” Umi stood up and washed her hands again.  
  
“The only thing I can recommend is to just be careful where you lean. You do yoga, yes?”  
  
“On Sunday evenings and Monday afternoons,”  
  
“Okay, just be careful when you lie on your stomach,” Umi advised, then pulls out three small white packets.  
  
“These are alcohol swaps. If it starts to hurt, gently rub these on and around the piercing. Sea-salt spray also works, ask Nozomi for some because I know she hoards those things like cats.”  
  
Eli chuckled and took the packets. “You just carry those around with you?”  
  
“I pierce people for a living, Eli. Plus, look at me,” Umi gestured to herself: a left snake bite, right eyebrow, septum and what looked like thousands in her ears, plus the stretchers in her ears were nearly twice the size of Nozomi’s.  
  
“I’m a walking pin-cushion. I need to be careful, especially around Rin, because she’s practically a bulldozer. Plus Kotori can be clumsy sometimes, especially in bed.”  
  
Eli laughed as the two exited the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

 _  
_ The doorbell rung, and Hanayo got up again to answer.  
  
“Honoka!”  
  
“Hey Hanayo-chan!” The bundle of orange energy threw itself at the childcare worker.  
  
“Hi Honoka-chan!” Kotori and Rin called out as the girl entered the room.  
  
“Hello everyone!”  
  
“Who’s this, Honoka?” Umi was looking at the short girl behind the daycare owner. The girl had short brown hair with an exposed forehead.  
  
“Oh, right,” Honoka held the girl’s hand and smiled broadly.  
  
“This is Tsubasa!”

A chorus of ‘nice to meet you’ sounded as the three of them sat down at the table.  
  
“Well, now that we are all here, let’s get the food out,” Maki stood up, followed by Rin and Hanayo, and went to the kitchen.  
  
-  
  
“I have to admit, Rin, you may have an extreme case of the jitters, but you sure know how to make a damn good Ramen,” Umi smiled at the apprentice.  
  
Rin blushed sheepishly as Hanayo took her hand.  
  
“Rin-chan has done nothing but cook all this ramen today. Maki and I cleaned up the entire place, and I only made the rice, so it’s all Rin’s cooking,”  
  
“It’s really good, Rin!” Honoka complimented her fellow orange-haired girl with a mouthful of noodles. Umi sighed, after years of being Honoka’s flatmate, she _still_ had no table manners.  
  
“So, when’s the wedding, you two?” Nico asked Kotori and Umi, who both blushed.  
  
“W-Well, we were thinking a summer wedding, so around July maybe?”  
  
“A summer wedding!”  
  
“That’s so very Kotori,” Eli smiled.  
  
“But Umi, are you going to wear a traditional dress or a standard white one?”  
  
“That depends on the ceremony, really. I mean, I’d love to have a traditional wedding, but I think Kotori prefers a regular one, right?”  
  
“My mum had a western ceremony, but I think merging the two would be ideal,”  
  
“That would be amazing!”  
  
Wedding talk when on for sometime, and Nozomi was more than content with just listening and eating.

Until, Tsubasa spoke up,  
  
“So, I know that Honoka runs the childcare centre with Kotori and Hanayo, but what do the rest of you do?”  
  
Eli and Nozomi looked at each other, but Nico quickly answered for them.  
  
“Maki and myself work at Eli’s flower shop, and Umi and Rin work at Nozomi’s parlour.”  
  
“A flower shop? Interesting,” Tsubasa turned her attention to Eli, who was sipping her sake.  
  
“And you three…” she gestured to Umi, Rin and Nozomi in a strange tone.  
  
“I’m a body piercer,” Umi spoke up and put down her chopsticks.  
  
“Nozomi owns a tattoo and piercing parlour. Rin is her apprentice,”  
  
Tsubasa’s nose crinkled slightly, then grinned.  
  
“That’s an interesting business,” the girl took a sip of her sake.  
  
“So, how _does_ someone get into the tattooing industry?”  
  
“Well,” Nozomi smiled and raised her chopsticks to her mouth.  
  
“I did an apprenticeship when I was in Italy for a while, then continued it when I came back from Japan.”  
  
“An apprenticeship? So there is no course for tattooing in universities, then?”  
  
Umi shot Tsubasa a look, but Kotori grabbed her hand. Next to Nozomi, Eli could sense some tension, but Nozomi’s ever present smile did not falter once.  
  
“There is no course dedicated to tattooing, no. However, I am first and foremost and artist, and hold a bachelor of fine arts, with honours.”  
  
“All tattooists, like Nozomi-senpai said, are artists. Funny story, I - hah - used to get into a bit of trouble for my art, but now it's my full time focus,” Rin awkwardly scratched at her cheek, with Hanayo smiling at her wryly.  
  
"Art wasn't always Rin-chan's main focus, though," Hanayo added.  
  
“You used to play for a team around here, didn’t you Rin?” Honoka asked, and Rin nodded.  
  
“Yeah, I was part of a B-league team, but I stopped after I ripped my hamstring. Now I just coach on the side of my apprenticeship.”  
  
“Ah, so you didn’t just get possessed by some demon and gave up a perfectly good experience for something completely different.”  
  
The comment from Tsubasa made Rin fall silent, and she dipped her head.  
  
Eli glowered at Tsubasa, and Umi bit her lip with furrowed brows.  
  
The only way to described Tsubasa’s voice was venomous.  
  
“Rin is a fantastic apprentice, and learns fast. Not to mention her artwork is some of the best I’ve seen,” Umi immediately responded as Hanayo put an arm around Rin.  
  
“Everyone has a change in career once or twice in their lifetime,” Eli had her hands under the table, which were clenched in fists of anger.  
  
Honoka looked from Tsubasa to her friends with worry, then cleared her throat.  
  
“Y-yeah! I used to be an idol back in high-school, and I was supposed to inherit my family’s sweetshop, but I wanted to work with children.”  
  
“Although I work at the childcare centre, I’m also studying a textiles course,” Kotori grinned while Umi still frowned.  
  
“Maki studies medicine, and the flower shop is a job to help her get through uni,” Nico added, sensing the tension growing by every second.  
  
“Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but I just think there could have been _better_ options out there aside from doing a hobby all day.”  
  
“I-It’s not just a hobby,” Rin was shrinking in her seat. At this point, Eli and Umi were ready to snap.  
  
“Ts-Tsubasa…” Honoka stuttered and was turning red from embarrassment. The venomous girl turned to face Honoka.  
  
“Oh come on, Honoka. Artists make barely any money, and the majority of them are just alcoholic drug addicts who play with expensive toys and leave their mark on random people! Imagine what your parents would think if _you_ chose that job!”  
  
Umi slammed her hands onto the table, making Kotori and Hanayo jump.  
  
Rin glanced at Nozomi, tears in her chartreuse eyes.  
  
Nozomi just smiled at the girl and took hold of Eli’s shaking fists under the table.  
  
“Tsubasa-san,”  
  
The woman turned to face the owner of _Lily White_. Nozomi put down her sake and locked eyes.  
  
“I hear you are a high-school teacher, is that correct?”  
  
“It is. Why?”  
  
Nozomi patted Eli’s hand under the table.  
  
“Did you know in some countries, teachers go on strike sometimes? Due to their low pay and lack of job security? Of course, it’s not their fault; they are just soldiers on the frontline and follow the curriculum - a set schedule for each day, with very minimal freedom for the teacher. From what I have experienced in my schooling days, each teacher had to teach their class certain topics by the book, with barely any choice other than how they delivered the information.”  
  
Tsubasa opened her mouth, but Nozomi kept going,

“Much like the corporate world, the teaching industry only cares if you have the degree and experience to enter their prestigious world. Even art teachers are limited to what they can do, because there is that very curriculum looming over them. I would know, as my own tattoo master was a former art teacher because she got into tattooing.”

Silence fell over the table.  
  
“In my experience of owning an independent business for nearly five years, there is the constant threat of going under, losing staff, being unable to afford rent, ecetera ecetera. And that’s only half of it,” Nozomi opened her eyes and stared into her bowl of half-eaten ramen.  
  
“But…I have two wonderful staff members with very respectful and well-educated backgrounds. Umi-chan, although a body piercer, has a degree in biology and is a competitive archer,” Nozomi smiled at Umi, then turned her gaze to Rin.  
  
“And Rin-chan…I could have never asked for a more diligent apprentice. She learns fast and has the stamina from her football days to complete the work I give her.”  
  
Nozomi turned back to Tsubasa, and picked up her sake.  
  
“Unlike some industries, I am able to hand pick my staff based on not only their qualifications, but by their persona. We may not _look_ like the most appealing people to certain members of society, but there is a famous saying that goes _don’t judge a book buy it’s cover,_ and that, Tsubuasa-san, is something you need to learn. Perhaps one of your students could teach it for you?”  
  
Nico gasped and stuffed a fist in her mouth.  
  
“Oooh buurrrnnn,” she mumbled as Tsubasa just sat there, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish.  
  
As Nozomi took a sip from her sake, the schoolteacher stood up from the table and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Silence hung over the table once again.  
  
The riceball clock on the wall ticked loudly, as if trying to crack the silence with each literal passing second.  
  
Kotori turned to Honoka, who was motionless and staring at her sake.  
  
“Y-You’re not going to after her, Honoka-chan?”  
  
Honoka shook her head, “No one who is that narrow-minded deserves to be in my life…”  
  
“S-Senpai,” Rin was a babbling mess of silent tears, but Hanayo drew her into a hug.  
  
“Nozomi-san’s right about you, Rin-chan,”  
  
“I meant every word,” Nozomi smiled at her apprentice.  
  
“You’re an awesome tattoo master, Nozomi,” Umi compliment as she took a sip of sake.  
  
“It’s weird to be called that,” Nozomi mused while Eli just sat next to her, completely dumbfounded as to what had just happened.  
  
“N-Nozomi,” the blonde turned to her girlfriend.  
  
“Y-you just wiped the floor with Honoka’s new lady.”  
  
“Eli-chan, Tsubasa said some horrible things, there’s no way she’s my lady now!” Honoka folded her arms and huffed.  
  
“To think I liked her butt…No one talks about my friends like that and gets away with it.”  
  
“You seemed to have moved on rather quickly, Honoka-chan,” Hanayo smiled at her boss.  
  
“Hanayo-chan, there a two things that cross the line when someone dates me: Cheating and narrow-mindedness,” Honoka held up her sake and took a swig.  
  
Eli glanced at Nozomi again, wondering what was going through her head.  
  
“Are you okay?” Eli nudged Nozomi’s side again, concern shadowing her features.  
  
Nozomi’s smile did not reach her eyes as she held Eli’s hand with a sigh.  
  
“It’s the same response I use every time some talks about my staff- my friends- like that,” Nozomi stared into her bowl again.  
  
Tsubasa’s words had impacted her, and reminded her of a situation from years ago.  
  
_“How could you tarnish your skin with this vulgar?! You are a respectable girl, Nozomi!”  
  
“Oh please, like _ you _would know about being respectable after what you did to mum!”  
  
_ Nozomi blinked, and slowly at more Ramen, getting those awful memories out of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, the point of this chapter was to address the common prejudice against the tattoo industry. Some tattoo artists don't make as much as teachers, doctors or CEOs, but the majority of them do just fine. Some tattoo artists are millionaires, and can branch out into other styles of artwork. Some even go into public speaking, modelling, and even the makeup industry. 
> 
> The stereotype of all tattoo artists being alcoholic, drug-addicted dropouts needs to stop. They are artists before anything else.


	16. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunshine (Sierra's Song) - The All-American Rejects (don't look at me like that...)

"Good morning, Nozomi,"

The artist stirred and groaned. Her head felt heavy, and so did her limbs.

When Nozomi cracked her eyes open, she saw the angelic face of Eli on top of her, blonde hair catching the winter sun to form a halo.

"E-Elichi?" Nozomi looked around. They were back in their bedroom, with clothes strewn across the floor.

"About time you woke up," Eli grinned and kissed her girlfriend's lips. Nozomi blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she gazed at Eli, puzzled.

"Did…Did something happen last night?"

"Oh, not at all," Eli rolled onto her side and lay next to Nozomi with a grin.

"You just had a little too much to drink after slapping some sense into Honoka's ex."

Nozomi blinked again, then groaned as the memory returned. During dessert, Rin brought out a sweet wine to go with the sake.

It then lead to a contest between Nico, Nozomi and Rin to see who could finish their glass of wine, plus their sake, then the liqueur chocolates Eli had brought along as a housewarming/thank-you gift.

Eli laughed as Nozomi threw her head back into the pillow.

"Nico is smaller than Honoka's attention span, how is she able to outdrink me?"

"I believe there was a quote that does never judge a book buy it's cover," Eli smirked, and burst out laughing when she dodged the pillow that catapulted in her direction.

"Hey, your words, not mine," Eli chuckled and sank back into the bed next to Nozomi.

* * *

After Nozomi had showered and taken some painkillers, she brought up her plan for the day: to visit the flea markets in Akibahara.

Soon enough, the two were wandering through the street, taking in the array of stalls and different scents of the food being cooked.

"Of course, it's still freaking cold," Eli mumbled, tucking her chin into her coat. Nozomi just chuckled and stuffed her hand deeper into her leather jacket's pockets. She had opted for layers, rather than one large coat.

"The sooner this month is over, the better," the blonde continued into her coat.

"I may lose a few clients once spring rolls around," Nozomi started the small talk as they passed a seafood stand.

"Because everyone wants tattoos in winter?" Eli raised an eyebrow, glancing at the calamari rings.

"Some people find it easier to get them done now, rather than in summer," Nozomi explained.

"No swimming, showers are supposed to be short, and the ink should be protected from the sun."

"That makes sense," Eli stopped a small flower booth, and observed the gardenias. The old lady smiled at the young blonde, who was smelling the bouquets on display.

"They are so beautiful," Eli grinned at the old lady.

"Thank you, dear,"

"Elichi is a florist, too," Nozomi patted the 26-year-old on the shoulder.

The old lady's eyes twinkled, and started to show Eli more flowers.

"N-Nozomi-san?"

Hearing her name, the tattoo artist turned and saw Hanayo, rugged up with earmuffs on, holding a young child's hand.

"Hanayo-chan! Hello!" Nozomi greeted. The childcare worker bowed.

"Thank you so much for having us over last night,"

"Th-thank you for coming," Hanayo's voice was diminishing, and Nozomi had an idea why.

"N-Nozomi-san?"

"Yes?"

Hanayo looked down at the child, then looked back up with a smile, and it honestly shocked Nozomi.

"Thank you for standing up for Rin-chan last night. That Tsubasa was downright awful, but I am so thankful you put her in her place."

Nozomi's eyebrows flew into her bangs, but she merely shook her head.

"I will always stand up for Rin-chan. She is a very important person to me," the artist smiled at Hanayo, but caught a glimpse of the child by Hanayo's side staring up at her.

Nozomi bent down to reach the child's eye level and grinned.

"And just who is this?"

"This is Yurika, she's my younger cousin," Hanayo smiled at the young child, who was still staring at Nozomi, more specifically, her ears.

"It's lovely to meet you, Yurika," Nozom bowed politely as Eli walked out of the stall with a small bag.

"Oh, Hello Hanayo," Eli greeted the childcare worker, who smiled and bowed at the florist.

"Have you made a friend, Nozomi?" Eli grinned down at her girlfriend and the small child.

"She…she really likes silver things," Hanayo explained In a soft voice, as if she was trying not to offend Nozomi's piercings.

"Well, Yurika-chan, you have excellent taste," Nozomi tilted her head to the side and shut her eyes. Yurika blushed and moved closer to Hanayo.

"You should meet Umi-chan, that girl is practically covered in silver," Nozomi stood up straight and clenched at her stomach as her cravings kicked in.

"Oh, that reminds me," Eli saw the motion, then turned to Hanayo.

"Where was that shop that Rin bought the vaper from again? Is it around here?"

"Yes, just keep going down this road then turn left. It's next to the photo-booth," Hanayo pointed down the street.

"Excellent, thank you, Hanayo," Eli bowed, and Nozomi raised a delicate eyebrow.

* * *

Eli and Nozomi said goodbye to Hanayo, and went their separate ways from the younger girl.

"She's so sweet," Eli sighed and peered into her small paper bag.

"That she is," Nozomi agreed as she reached into her pocket.

"What did you get from the flower stall?"

"Just some ribbon, they're the perfect colour for Valentine's day," Eli took out a roll of pink ribbon to show Nozomi.

"That's a lovely colour,"

"I know, that's why I bought it," Eli put the ribbon back into the bag.

"That lady was lovely and gave me a slight discount."

"Because you're also a florist?"

"Probably, but I was also a nice person," the blonde eyebrows waggled and Nozomi snorted, scuffing her boots across the ground.

"Yes, yes, you're nice and charming, we all know that, Elichi," Nozomi nudged Eli in the side.

Eli then turned left into the street Hanayo had showed them.

Sure enough, there was a lone photo-booth next to a small shop with a bland sign.

"This is definitely it," Eli turned to face Nozomi, who had a cigarette between her lips and was about to light it.

"Ah-uh," Eli tsked and took the nicotine right out of the artist's mouth. Green eyes, now teal from the overcast weather, narrowed.

"Elichi-"

"You're coming inside with me. No ifs, buts or maybes," Eli grabbed her girlfriend's arm and marched into the store.

"Hello!" Eli plastered a smile onto her face as the shopkeeper looked up. A young man with frizzy hair and thick glasses.

"Hey, what may I help you with?" He asked with a slight drawl. Eli pointed to the tattooed woman next to her.

"This one needs to start using a vaper. Care to walk us through the process?"

After a ten minute history lesson on how the vaper started, the man then pulled out two small cylindrical devices and showed them to Eli and Nozomi. One looked like a whistle attached to a drinking flask, whereas the other one was the exact same size, shape and colour of a cigarette.

"So you just pour the flavouring into the cylinder and screw it back on?" Eli watched the man demonstrate.

"Yep, then you just press this button, and the heating element springs to life," the man pressed the button on the cylindrical one, known as a 'pipe.' Smoke fumed wafted out of the pipe and the man brought it to his lips.

"And just do what you normally do with a cigarette."

"How simple! And It's less harmful than smoking cigarettes?"

"So much less damaging to the body. Scientists all over the world are saying that vaping is a healthier alternative to cigarettes."

"Well, I'm sold, you about you?" Eli turned to face Nozomi, who was still processing all of the information.

"Is that fake cigarette the same?"

"This is an electronic cigarette, or an e-cig for short," the men held up the device in his left hand.

"This one does the same thing as the vaper, but it looks like a real cigarette."

"So, they're fake," Nozomi voiced her thought.

"Y-Yes, they are, but they are tonnes more healthier than a real cig-"

"Don't mind her, she's just grumpy because she hasn't had a cigarette for a bit," Eli nudged Nozomi in the side and pulled out her wallet.

"The fake cigarette can use different flavours as well, yes?"

"That's correct."

"Okay, I'll take the e-cigarette with four flavours," Eli opened her wallet as Nozomi choked on her own breath.

"E-Elichi!"

"Quiet you," Eli grinned and pulled out a wad of cash as the man took a pamphlet from the counter to give to the florist.

"These are the flavours available for the e-cigarette."

Eli peered at them as Nozomi's brow twitched.

"Look, Nozomi! They have peppermint!"

"Elichi, this is ridiculous," Nozomi hissed and stuffed her hands into her pockets.

"They also have bubblegum, strawberries, honeydew, caramel –"

Nozomi wretched as Eli handed the pamphlet back to the man.

"We'll take peppermint, watermelon, coffee and chocolate."

"Why chocolate?"

"Because I want to try it."

"Eli, you don't even smoke!"

"You're right, I don't smoke, but I'll try vaping chocolate just once."

* * *

Eli left the store with Nozomi trudging behind her, mumbling under her breath.

"Chin up, Nozomi!" Eli shot a wicked grin at the artist and pulled out the e-cigarette.

"Here, since you've been dying for a smoke,"

Nozomi scowled, but she took the e-cig nonetheless. The man had preset the peppermint flavour before they left.

Nozomi stared at the e-cigarette and wrinkled her nose, then took it out of Eli's hand.

The small item was surprising in weight, but that was probably due to the mechanics.

"Give it a try," Eli urged her girlfriend lightly. With a sigh of defeat, Nozomi put the e-cig to her lips, and inhaled.

She knew Eli was just looking out for her, wanting her to be healthier, but Nozomi knew that if she did want to quit smoking, it would be a rocky road.

She inhaled, and the taste of peppermint flooded her mouth. It was clearly synthetic, and not as strong as tobacco, but her body felt no change.

When Nozomi exhaled, Eli looked at her like a proud mother.

"How was it?" She asked, taking Nozomi's hand and leading her back to the markets.

The only answer was a shrug, "It's weird, but I guess I'll have to keep trying."

* * *

Nozomi's pocket buzzed.

"Hmm?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

The caller ID made her heart stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> V IMPORTANT NOTE: Vapers and E-cigs may not be as deadly as regular cigarettes, but they can still damage your body if used too much or incorrectly. Some people find the act of smoking more enjoyable than the nicotine hit, so that's where vapers and e-cigs can really help.


	17. Sneaky Freak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sneaky Freak - Imelda May

Sunday came and went with no real excitement. Orders for Valentine's day were still pouring in for  _Bibi,_ and Nozomi had only one client.   
  
Eli could see Nozomi from across the dinner table, eyeing the e-cig as if it were a rabid dog.  
  
“It’s not going to bite you,” Eli chuckled, and Nozomi looked up with a pout.  
  
“It’s not the same, Elichi,” she whined, picking up the e-cig to take a drag.   
  
“The only thing I like is that it’s peppermint, but I miss nicotine.”  
  
“If I am giving up vodka with dinner, _you_ are giving up smoking,” Eli crossed her arms. Nozomi sighed, exhaling the smoke.  
  
“In other news,” Eli twirled the spaghetti with her fork.  
  
“Alisa is going to try out for a dance company,”  
  
“Good for her,” Nozomi grinned. Eli shrugged and popped the Italian food in her mouth.  
  
“She will get in, without a doubt, but she has her heart set on the Central Tokyo Dance Company, and they are quite strict.”  
  
“But you said she will get in without a doubt.”  
  
“I know, but if she is able to survive is my concern. Alisa is…” Eli stared into her bowl.  
  
“…Soft.”  
  
Nozomi gazed at Eli, knowing the concern she had for her younger sister.  
  
“She also has her head in the clouds whenever she’s not dancing, and isn’t too keen on the theory, but-”  
  
“Isn’t the purpose of a dance company to not only perform, but to _teach?_ ” Nozomi interrupted lightly, and Eli looked up.  
  
“They are, but the instructors will _not_ go easy on anyone.”  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi grinned, and twirled spaghetti.  
  
“You need to relax. Alisa is a smart girl with a bright future ahead of her, and I’m sure she will get better with her theory.”  
  
“Let’s hope so,” Eli sighed.  
  


* * *

  
  
Later than night, Nozomi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with that stupid e-cig in her mouth. Eli always slept with a night light, and Nozomi had gotten used to it.   
  
The  _real_ reason why Nozomi was still awake was much worse than some silly little light.  
  
_“Dammit, why did he call me”_ Nozomi recalled Saturday’s phone call.   
  
It was just a number with no name, but she recognised it nonetheless.  
  
_“No. No one is to know, and everything will be fine. He’s not here, you’re safe…you’re safe, he’s not here…”_ Nozomi started chanting in her head as her eyes twitched.   
  
With a huff of anger, Nozomi threw the e-cigarette at the wall shoved her head into her hands.  
  
A vibration from the table sounded, and Nozomi glanced at the bright screen with fear.   
  
However, this number had a name attached, and she let out a sigh of relief.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m going to go bank,” Umi walked out of the break room with her bag on her back. Nozomi looked up from the station, where she was observing Rin tattooing more pigskin.   
  
A thought struck her.  
  
“Actually, Umi-chan,” Nozomi stood up and checked her watch.   
  
“Don’t you have a client in ten minutes? It’s five past twelve.”  
  
“Wait, really?” Umi checked her schedule on the counter, and groaned.  
  
“I can’t believe I forgot about that!”  
  
“Don’t worry, Umi-chan,” Nozomi walked into the break room and picked up her bag.  
  
“I’ll do the banking. Just keep an eye on Rin-chan until I get back, okay? I won’t be too long.”  
  
-  
  
The second Nozomi left the store, she pulled out her phone and unlocked it.  


_Nozomi, 12:05pm  
-Still on for a sneaky smoke, Nicochi?_

The artist walked to the bank, which was two blocks away. She was able to complete her bank deposit rather quickly, as there was hardly a line.   
When Nozomi left, she checked her phone again, and smiled.  
  
_Nico-chi, 12:09pm_

 _\- You betcha, meet me at_ Homura’s _?_  
  


* * *

 

“What took you so long?” Umi glanced up at Nozomi, walking into the shop her bag slung lazily over her shoulder.  
  
“The line was bad,” Nozomi lied and slinked off to put her bag away.  
  
“How are you doing, Rin-chan?”  
  
“I’m getting there! But these lines are so tiny!” Rin’s tongue was sticking out of her mouth, eyes glued to the pigskin.   
  
“Kanji, I find, is always harder to tattoo than hiragana,” Nozomi came out of the breakroom, putting on a pair of gloves just in-case she had to help Rin.  
  
“But remember, slow and steady lines, and do not change the needle size once you have started, it’ll mess up the tattoo.”   
  
“Understood, senpai,” Rin nodded, not taking her eyes away from the skin.   
  
Nozomi kicked the switch to shut off the tattoo machine, and Rin looked up so fast, that she nearly knocked her head against Nozomi’s.  
  
“Eh?!”  
  
“Rin-chan,” Nozomi was so close to Rin’s face that she could see the tiny freckles that were dusted across her nose.  
  
“Try to keep a respectable distance from your work. Your nose was so close to the skin.”  
  
“R-Right…” Rin looked down and bit her lip. Nozomi glanced down at the Kanji: Fire.  
  
“You’ve done quite well, Rin-chan,” Nozomi smiled, then tilted the girl’s head up with her chin.  
  
“Just make sure you don’t get _too_ close to the client, they might freak out. No matter how small or detailed the design is, always maintain something of a respectable distance. Even if our job _is_ to use a machine to penetrate all seven layers of skin with coloured pigment.”  
  
“That…is so literal,” Umi’s brow twitched, and Nozomi shot a smile at the piercer.  
  
“And your job is to cut a part of the human body to make an opening for jewellery.”  
  
Rin stopped what she was doing and gulped. Umi scoffed and waved a hand at the apprentice.  
  
“Ignore her, Rin.”

 

* * *

 

Nozomi got home early for once, but she knew that Eli would be at her yoga class and wouldn’t get home until 8pm.   
  
A familiar craving scratched at her insides.  
  
Nozomi looked down at her stomach, and bit her lip in thought.  
  
_“Elichi will know if I have a cigarette,”_ Nozomi thought, reaching into her bag for the e-cigarette with a grumble.   
  
It just wasn’t the same, and the flavouring was so synthetic that it made her blood run cold.  
  
She enjoyed the cigarette she had with Nico earlier in the day, away from everyone, and she didn’t mind if she had to slather herself in perfume and chew gum for the rest of the day.  
  
A thought struck her as she breathed in the coffee flavoured smoke.   
  
Nozomi pulled out her phone, seeing a missed call from the number with no name, and shivered.   
  
_“Not now, go away,”_ she thought bitterly, swiping open the phone and going into the contacts.   
  
The artist placed the phone against her ear as she waited for Nico to pick up.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Evening, Nicochi,” Nozomi smiled, walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch.  
  
“Nozomi! How was the sleeve today?”  
  
“Mr. Kousaka is pleased, but he didn’t strike me as the type of man who would get a tattoo,” Nozomi grinned, the burly man wanted a flower for each woman of his family: his wife and two daughters.  
  
“And how was the e-cigarette?”  
  
“Nothing like the real thing,” Nozomi sighed and glowered at the object in her left hand.  
  
“I _really_ hate this, but Elichi wants me to try, so I’m trying.”  
  
“Did she find out about our sneaky smoke?”  
  
“No, she’s not even home. Yoga, remember?”

“Right, right. Maki has been giving me glances of disgust whenever I take my smoke break, so I’m trying to cut down, too.”  
  
The neon signs were flashing in Nozomi’s head, directing her towards an idea.  
  
“Nicochi, how often do you bank your deposits?”  
  
“M-Me? I do them on Tuesday and Fridays around 1pm, why?”  
  
Nozomi let a smirk curl onto her lips.  
  
“If I were to _accidentally_ bump into you at the bank, would you care to share a single cigarette with me before we head back to our respective occupations.”  
  
Nico’s giggle was evil as Nozomi put out the e-cigarette.  
  
“I’d like that, I’ll _accidentally_ see you tomorrow at 1pm.”  
  
“I’ll be looking forward to it… _accidentally,_ that is,” Nozomi chuckled, observing the bonsai on the coffee table, and then glared at it.  
  
“You didn’t hear anything,” Nozomi pointed at the bonsai once she hung up the phone.


	18. Round and Round

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Round and Round - Areosmith

Sure enough, at 12:50pm, Nozomi left her shop with the bank bags and a smile on her face.   
  
She walked with a spring in her step to the bank, and immediately saw Nico waiting in line to throw the bank banks down the shute.  
  
“Well howdy, Nicochi,” Nozomi smiled at the smaller girl, who looked up with a smirk.  
  
“You’ve been looking forward to this all day, haven’t you?”   
  
“You betcha,” Nozomi admitted, standing behind the florist in line.

“Eli still doesn’t know?”   
  
“Nope, not at all,” Nozomi sighed, scratching her stomach again.  
  
“I feel awful about it, _but_ I’m still using those blasted e-cigarettes. This is just one real cigarette with a friend, and the rest of the day is that other garbage.”  
  
“You know if she finds out, you’re a dead woman, yeah?”  
  
“Yeah, I know,” Nozomi grinned and pulled out her phone.  
  
“Which I why I have made a schedule to only do this every fortnight: every Tuesday and Friday will be suspicious, y’know?”  
  
“Good plan,” Nico readied her bag once they neared the shute.

 

* * *

“So that’s two bouquets of roses for Valentine’s day?” Eli repeated the order to her customer on the phone as she jotted down the information.

“Yes…unfortunately we do not do home delivery, so it’s store pickup…yes….yes…okay, no problem,” She hung up and went to lean against the counter, but the blonde remembered Umi’s words and settled for just sitting instead.  
  
“Is it me, or did Nico-chan seem _very_ enthusiastic about depositing the bank bags?” Maki looked over from the wrapping station at her boss.  
  
“It _is_ odd, but if she’s happy, then whatever,” Eli picked up the notebook that contained all of her orders, and sighed.  
  
“The first five pages are valentine’s day orders, so that will be our primary goal.”  
  
“Come to think of it, when _is_ Valentine’s day?”  
  
“This Thursday.”  
  
“Wait, r-really?!” Maki’s shock made her hand slip with the scissors. Eli gasped and rushed over.  
  
“Maki! Are you hurt?” she took the red-head’s hand, and looked down. Maki winced in pain, the cut was on her palm.  
  
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Eli took Maki into their back room.   
  
“Honestly, Maki, you need to be careful,” Eli was knelling in front of the medical student, wrapping her hand up with a bandage.   
  
Maki was sitting at Eli’s desk, wincing as the disinfecting cream got to work.  
  
“I’m sorry, Eli,” Maki mumbled.  
  
Eli clipped the bandage together with a pin, then got to her feet.  
  
“If you need a minute, take one. When you’re ready, we’re going to swap: I’ll do the wrapping and you can do orders.”  
  
“O-Orders? For Valentine’s day?”  
  
“Yep,” Eli adjusted her ponytail.  
  
“I have a system in place: single flowers are a circle, bouquets are a cross, and boxes are hearts. Tally up each type with their key, then we’ll split them up between the three of us, okay?”  
  
“Got it,” Maki went bright red.   
  
Eli raised an eyebrow, “Are you excited for Valentine’s day?”  
  
“N-No!” The younger girl shook her head, and Eli placed her hands on her hips, cocking them to the side.  
  
“You know, Maki,” a sly smile snaked its way onto the florist’s lips.  
  
“Nico loves sweets more than flowers.”  
  
Eli left the backroom with a smirk, hearing Maki spluttering from her seat.  


* * *

  
  
When Nozomi walked back into her shop, Rin was sitting at the counter on the phone.  
  
“Ah! She’s actually right in front of me!” Rin put the phone down and placed her hand over the speaker.  
  
“Senpai, would you be able to do a tattoo on Wednesday at 1pm?”  
  
Nozomi walked behind the counter and pulled up her schedule.   
  
“Looks like it,”   
  
“Yes, she can,” Rin placed the phone back against her ear.   
  
“Yes…uh huh…yes, Nozomi-senpai is an expert for flowers…uh huh…yes…we’ll see you then!”  
  
“Flowers, hey?”   
  
“Yes, they wanted sakuras on their shin.”  
  
Nozomi looked at the cherry blossoms she had framed on the wall, then shrugged again.  
  
“Should be fine.”   
  
Rin took a deep breath in, but her nostrils wrinkled as a scent entered her body.  
  
She coughed.  
  
“Everything alright, Rin-chan?” Nozomi raised her eyebrows as Umi walked out of her piercing room with a fresh client.  
  
“Y-Yeah,” Rin moved away from the counter to let Umi ring up the man. There was a blush on her face as she stated the price of the body piercing.   
  
Rin leaned in close to Nozomi and cupped her mouth with her hand.  
  
“Did you have a cigarette, senpai?”  
  
Nozomi’s blood ran cold, and her eyebrow instantly twitched.   
  
“N-No, don’t be silly, Rin-chan,” Nozomi smiled, instantly emptying her pockets.  
  
“I don’t have any cigarettes on me apart from that piece of- _the e-cigarette,_ see?” She pulled out the tiny mechanism from her jacket’s pocket, and Rin narrowed her eyes.  
  
“Hmm,” the orange-haired girl sniffed the air again and leaned into Nozomi, as if Rin were a cat.   
  
“R-Rin, this is weird,” Nozomi dropped the honorific as the man walked out of the store with a slight waddle.   
  
Umi let out a groan and whacked her head against the counter.  
  
“What’s up with _you?”_ Nozomi turned to face wthe piercer. Umi’s body started to shake, and eventually, she convulsed.  
  
“Kotori is going to kill me…”  
  
“Why?” Nozomi raised an eyebrow as Rin whirled around with a gasp.  
  
“Did you _sleep_ with that man?!”  
  
“ _Of course not!!”_ Umi snapped as her fingers clung to her hair.   
  
“I was gonna say, you’re getting married this year, and I’m pretty sure sleeping with someone _other_ than your fiancé is like, a sin, or something. Especially a dude, mind you…”  
  
Nozomi clapped Umi on the back and muttered something about taking five, then went to her station to clean up.  
  
“Come to think of it, we rarely get _any_ men in this store. The only guys I’ve seen have been our dads,” Rin mused, tapping her finger to her chine.   
  
Nozomi tensed up at once.  
  
“My dad came in once, and I’ve met Umi’s dad, Honoka’s dad…,” Rin continued as Umi looked up and huffed.  
  
“That man was Kotori’s cousin.”  
  
“R-Really?” Rin nearly fell off her seat while Umi leaned on her elbows.  
  
“…I pierced his right nipple.”  
  
“W-Well then,” Rin was having a hard time stifling giggles while the body piercer slowly straightened up.  
  
“You’re lucky it wasn’t her dad or anything.”  
  
CRASH.  
  
The sudden sound nearly made Rin topple off her seat, and Umi jumped with a yelp.   
  
Nozomi was standing over her station, shoulders hunched and hands balled into her fists.   
  
At her feet was a pool of black tattoo ink. Nozomi’s breathing was heavier than usual, and her twin tails were sticking up.   
  
“Nozomi?” Umi quietly called out her boss’s name while Rin regained her balance.  
  
“Senpai?”  
  
Nozomi straightened up, and when she turned around, she had on that ever-present grin.  
  
“I slipped and knocked over some ink. Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up.” Nozomi stepped sideways then went into the break room to fetch towels.   
  
She might be a master at hiding her emotions on the outside, but they were destroying her insides.  
  
There was nothing she could do about it.   
  
He called her.  
  
He was coming.   



	19. Red Flag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red Flag - Billy Tallent
> 
> Who's ready for shit to hit the fan?

Eli was set on making her way to Alisa’s school to take her to ballet class.   
  
However, the second she had left her shop, her phone started to vibrate in her pocket.   
  
As Eli took her phone out, she felt certain that she was the only person in the world to know the name of her ringtone; _“Korobeiniki,”_ a Russian folk song.   
  
_“It’s_ not _the bloody tetris theme,”_ she thought bitterly, placing the speaker against her ear.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hi Eli, it’s Umi.”  
  
“Oh, Hi,” Eli grinned as she made her way down the street.   
  
“I was just calling to see if your naval piercing was behaving?”  
  
“Ah!” Eli looked down at her stomach and tilted her head. Since Friday night, there had been no massive problems, nor had there been any bleeding.  
  
“It’s behaving itself. Thanks for checking up on me, though,” Eli thanked the piercer, who chuckled.  
  
“Why were you humming the tetris theme?”  
  
“It’s _not_ the tetris theme!” Eli scoffed, picking up her pace.   
  
“It’s a Russian folk song that just _happened_ to be used for that stupid game. Besides, they changed it! It’s not the original _Korobeiniki!_ ”  
  
“Are you _still_ salty about how you can’t get past level 5 of Tetris?”  
  
Eli growled, kicking a pile of snow as Umi laughed on the other end of the phone.  
  
“Was that everything, Umi?”  
  
“No, actually,” Umi suddenly turned serious.  
  
“It’s about Nozomi,”  
  
All of the annoyance about her ringtone left her immediately.   
  
“Is something wrong?”  
  
“Well, that’s also why I’m calling…has something happened _since_ Friday night?”  
  
“Um…”  
  
“Like, _anything?_ She seems off lately.”  
  
Eli cast her mind around, trying to think.   
  
“Well, she’s using those e-cigarettes now. Maybe she’s just having a hard time getting used to no nicotine?”  
  
“Uhm…about that…Rin could smell smoke on Nozomi when she got back from the bank today.”  
  
Eli’s heart stopped. Her fingers clenched around her phone.  
  
“Eli, who did banking today? Was it you or-”  
  
“Nico. It was Nico,” Eli’s hand started to shake, her grip was surely going to crush the phone into oblivion.   
  
Umi went silent as Eli pieced together everything in under a millisecond.   
  
The blonde stood out the front of Alisa’s school, arms folded tightly with her leg resting against the wall.  
  
“I’ll talk to you later, Umi,” Eli hung up the phone as Alisa came bounding out of the school with a bright smile and gleaming eyes.  
  
“Hi, Eli!” she beamed up at her older sister, who forced a smile onto her face.   
  
“Ready to go?” Eli did her best to push her anger into the pit of her stomach.   
  
“You betcha!” 

* * *

 

Eli trudged back to the apartment, and heard music coming from inside. She huffed and pulled out her keys.  
  
_“Nozomi, we can’t blast music like that, the neighbours will kill us,”_ The blonde mentally scolded, shoving the key into the lock and twisting the handle.  
  
Eli took off her shoes and coat, and then stormed into the living room.   
  
Nozomi was lying on the couch with her sketchbook, drawing multiple cherry blossoms.   
  
She looked up and smiled.  
  
“Good evening, Elichi,” Nozomi greeted.   
  
The florist took a deep breath in with her nose and stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets.  
  
“Nozomi,” Eli had no idea where to begin.  
  
She could let alone hear her own thoughts over the punk rock that was coming out of the speaker.   
  
Eli walked over and lowered the volume of the music.  
  
“Did you just turn down _Billy Talent?_ ” Nozomi grinned at the sudden volume change when Eli walked back to stand over the artist, hands on hips.  
  
“What did you do at 1pm today?” Eli’s voice was ice, and Nozomi stopped sketching. The artist looked up, blinking.  
  
“I did a bank deposit. What did _you_ do at 1pm today?”  
  
“I bandaged up Maki because she cut herself,” Eli remained strong and started to tap her foot.   
  
“Today, Nico did the bank deposit. Did you see her at all today?”  
  
“Why would I see Nicochi?” Nozomi’s voice was silk, and it made the anger inside Eli’s stomach rear its ugly head.  
  
“Nozomi,” Eli shut her eyes, brow twitching and nails digging into the sides of her hips. Nozomi sat up and placed her sketchbook to the side.   
  
“Elichi,”  
  
“Are you enjoying your e-cigarettes?” It was taking all of Eli's might to contain her anger.   
  
Nozomi wrinkled her nose at the item that was currently sitting on their coffee table, next to a framed picture of them with a deer in Nara.  
  
“Am I enjoying them? No, I’m not, but I’m trying my hardest.”  
  
“Really? Then why did Rin say you stink of smoke?” Eli had snapped.   
  
Her control and patience was thrown out the window.   
  
Nozomi’s heart stopped, and awkwardly ran a hand through one of her twin tails.   
  
“Rin-chan must be imagining things. The only things I have smoke are those sorry excuses for cigar-”  
  
“You know Nico smokes, don’t you?” Eli cut her off, feeling her ears burning.   
  
Nozomi sat up straight and looked Eli dead in the eye.  
  
“She does smoke, and I think she needs to quit, too.”  
  
_That_ was enough.   
  
Eli turned around and let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a huff and a squeal.   
  
Nozomi stood up, wondering what was wrong, but then Eli turned around.   
  
“How can you look me in the eyes and lie?! Right to my face?!” Eli snapped, and Nozomi furrowed her brow.  
  
“I…Huh?”  
  
“Don’t play dumb!” Eli angrily raked a hand through her blonde hair while Nozomi’s face fell into a rare frown.  
  
“You have been smoking with Nico!”  
  
“So? I had _one_ with her!” Nozomi tried her best to keep her voice under control, and Eli leaned against the dining table with gritted teeth.  
  
“You went against me! I bought those e-cigarettes for _you!_ They are supposed to help you quit!”  
  
“Maybe I don’t _want_ to quit, Elichi!” Nozomi folded her arms, the tattoos on them melding together.   
  
“Maybe I find smoking to be a relief from stress!”  
  
“But it’s not healthy!” Eli looked up, her blue eyes were strained.   
  
“You are killing yourself with those disgusting cancer sticks!”  
  
“The e-cigs are not much better!”  
  
“At least they won’t kill you as fast!”  
  
“Eli,” Nozomi dropped the honorific and pinched the bridge of her nose.  
  
“The last few days have been rather tough, can we please drop this for now? I promise I won’t go for a smoke with Nico ag-”  
  
“Oh, okay, let’s just _drop it,_ ” Eli spat back in a snide tone. Nozomi groaned in frustration: why was Eli always so stubborn?  
  
“Let’s just _drop_ the fact that I’m trying to help you stay alive a little longer.   
  
Let’s just _drop_ the fact that you went behind my back, and let’s just _drop_ the fact that our rent is due in the next week and you haven’t transferred the money over to me!”  
  
“I was going to do that tonight! But _someone_ kicked down the door and started yapping on about something completely irrelevant!”  
  
“Irrelevant?! Nozomi you’re killing yourself!” Eli’s voice was starting to shake.  
  
“I don’t want to out-live you! I want us to grow old together and start a family!”  
  
“Who says we can’t do that with two packets of cigarettes a week?!”

“Your _fucking body!_ ”  
  
Nozomi scowled and narrowed her eyes.  
  
“I have been under a fair bit of stress, Eli, _one_ normal cigarette isn’t going to kill me.”  
  
“And what about the last five years of constant cigarettes, Huh?! Honestly, you’re _just_ _like your father_!”  
  
It was as if time stopped.   
  
Eli slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.   
  
Nozomi snapped her gaze up to stare at her partner, fear and fury etching into her features.   
  
Blood was roaring in Nozomi’s ears as Eli took deep breaths to calm herself down.  
  
The artist turned around and leaned her forehead against the wall, her shoulders going rigid again.  
  
“Nozomi…” Eli took a tentative step forward and kept her voice soft.   
  
She knew she had gone _way_ too far, and that last comment was completely uncalled for.

Nozomi didn’t say anything, refusing to respond to Eli.   
  
There was just this disgusting awkwardness that loomed over the living room.   
  
Nozomi was currently replaying all the moments she had spent with her father almost ten years ago, and the fear was paralysing.   
  
“Nozomi, I’m…I’m so sorry,” Eli’s voice was trembling, tears were brimming in her eyes.   
  
Once Nozomi snapped herself out of the swirling pit that was her memories, she glanced over her left shoulder with narrowed eyes.  
  
“Funny you should bring him up,” her voice was low and dark.  
  
“Because he’s coming in two weeks.”  



	20. The Chariot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chariot - The Cat Empire

“Your father?” Rin looked curiously at Nozomi. The tattoo master and apprentice entered the shop, shaking the late winter air from their bodies.  
  
“The one and only,” Nozomi sighed, disarming the alarm with her clicker.   
  
Rin was still confused as to why her boss was deflated: most people were happy when their parents came to town, but Nozomi looked upset.  
  
“Do you not _like_ your father?” Rin asked as they walked into the breakroom to put down their bags.  
  
Nozomi turned on the shop’s lights, then leaned against the wall with her forehead.  
  
“No, Rin-chan. Not particularly…”  
  
Rin stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, rubbing her arm nervously.   
  
Nozomi heaved herself off the wall and smiled weakly at her apprentice.  
  
“Today will be rather quiet, I wager, so let’s work on large stencils.”

 

* * *

  
  
“Is he _really_ coming?” Nico asked Eli quietly over the phone.   
  
The blonde nodded.  
  
“That sucks,"  
  
“I am aware, Nico,” Eli grumbled as she sat on top of the counter with her legs crossed.   
  
“That bastard has _no_ right to show his face around here!”  
  
“He has a work meeting, apparently.”  
  
“Fuck his meeting!” Was the angry response from Nico.   
  
Eli pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.   
  
“He has no right to be back in Tokyo after what he did. Poor Ayako, she should have never let him take Nozomi away like that the putrid, rotting cu-”  
  
“I know, Nico,” Eli interrupted the other florist.  
  
“But there is nothing we can do about this at the moment.”   
  
Nico raised an eyebrow and moved forward, the watering can held awkwardly at her side.   
  
“How did Nozomi take it?”

  
“How do you _think?_ ” Eli groaned and got to her feet.   
  
“She barely slept last night, from what I gathered.”  
  
“Huh? Don’t you tw-”  
  
Eli’s stomach turned into a black hole as she recounted last nights events.  
  
“We had a fight, and then I said something stupid, and that’s how I found out that he’s coming. You know what Nozomi is like when she’s left alone with _that_ thought looming over her…she slept on the couch.”  
  
“Eesh,” Nico winced. Eli sighed and threw her head into her hands.  
  
“It’s my fault, really.”  
  
“ _Your_ fault? How can it be your fault?! I _highly_ doubt you called that cumrag to come down here just to piss off and torture your girlfriend!” Nico was flabbergasted.   
  
“Because I should have paid more attention to Nozomi,” Eli grumbled.  
  
“I snapped at her yesterday about-”  
  
Eli snapped her head up and looked at Nico dead in the eye.  
  
“It was because _you_ were smoking with Nozomi when she was _supposed_ to be on those e-cigarettes!”  
  
“Wh-What?!” Nico nearly dropped the watering can.  
  
“I didn’t smoke with Nozomi! All I did were the bank deposits!”  
  
“You were smoking with Nozomi, Nico,” Maki sighed from the side, twirling her hair.  
  
“Hanayo saw you when she went to get more stuff for the daycare.”  
  
“N-No she didn’t! What kind of bullshit is that?! Hanayo is a liar!”  
  
“You’re not hard to miss, even _if_ you are the size of a fifteen-year-old,”  
  
“I am twenty-six!”  
  
“Enough.”  
  
Eli’s voice was cold again, and it made Maki and Nico silent at once.   
  
Eli leaned her hip against the counter and looked down at the fibreglass surface.  
  
“Nico, you are _not_ to smoke with Nozomi anymore.”  
  
“B-But-”  
  
“ _No buts,”_ Eli shot an icy glare at the girl, who shuddered.   
  
Eli returned to gazing at the counter.  
  
“In regards to Nozomi’s father,” Eli deflated.  
  
“He is a powerful man, so who knows what he will do. I am going to talk to Nozomi about this and make sure that he doesn’t harm you two.”  
  
“Why would he harm us?” Maki was confused, and Nico shot a look at the younger girl.  
  
“I’ll fill you in.”   


* * *

 

“Are you sure there is nothing we can do?” Umi leaned against the counter, palms flat and brow furrowed in concern.   
  
Nozomi was sitting at the counter, writing an email for a tattoo quote, and nodded.  
  
“There is nothing for you to do apart from your job, Umi-chan. Only I am to deal with my father, and no one else.”  
  
“How do you plan to do that?”   
  
Nozomi glanced down at the pristine floor, catching her reflection slightly.   
  
The owner of _Lily White_ bit her lip, and placed a hand on her hip.  
  
“The only ways to deal with him are cowardly and selfish.”  
  
“And they are?” Umi pressed while Nozomi looked over at Rin to make sure she was still working.  
  
“The first option is to take my annual leave early,” Nozomi lifted the first finger on her left hand.   
  
“But that leaves you two here alone and unprotected, and who _knows_ what the psycho will do,” Nozomi’s bitter tone made Umi bit her own lip.  
  
“The second,” Nozomi raised her middle finger to join her first.  
  
“Is to shut down the shop for two weeks and _everyone_ takes their annual leave.”  
  
“Wh-What?!” Umi spluttered, and Nozomi sighed.  
  
“That is the _absolute_ last resort, Umi-chan. I don’t want to take away your pay for my sake,”  
  
“That, and I already set my annual leave up for July to coincide with the wedding,” Umi added on, playing with her tragus piercing.   
  
Nozomi groaned and lowered her head to the counter.  
  
“Why does he have to show up?” she whispered to herself, feeling her throat tighten.  
  
“Nozomi,” Umi gently placed a hand on her boss’s shoulder.  
  
“He’s not going to come anywhere _near_ you. I will make sure of it, Eli will make sure of it, and, hell, even _Rin_ will make sure of it,”  
  
“What am I doing?” Rin perked up at once. Nozomi also lifted her head and smiled sadly at her apprentice.   
  
“Today, we’ll take lunch together, Rin-chan, and I’ll explain everything.”  
  
Nozomi then looked up at Umi, and her eyes crinkled with respect and adoration.  
  
“Actually, we’re all taking lunch together. The store can go an hour without us.”


	21. Don't Speak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day
> 
> Don't Speak - No Doubt (Very good song. Go listen if you want your heart split in two by a rusted chainsaw from your Icelandic landlord's shed.)

Eli dropped Alisa off at the ballet studio with a million thoughts running through her head.

When in Italy, Nozomi had heard of her mother developing an illness, and how her father would not be supporting her, and filed for a divorce. He refused to pay for her medical bills, defaming his wife no longer fit to survive, as he believes it was her fault that Nozomi turned out the way she did.

Nozomi made money in Italy to support her mother by drawing and painting. When she earned her apprenticeship, it became slightly easier to support her mother and herself, but one month before she had finished her apprenticeship, Ms Toujou passed away.

Nozomi was not able to attend the funeral, as her father refused for her to attend the funeral. He had gone against his wife's wished of wanting to be cremated, and buried her in a graveyard back where the family had lived for a short time.

When Nozomi got back from Italy, her father had cut her off completely, throwing her out onto the streets to live and wanted nothing to do with his daughter. It had taken the twenty-one-year-old some time to find her feet, but she had met two university students who were in need of a roommate to keep their apartment: Eli Ayase and Nico Yazawa. Nozomi had, by some miracle, gotten a scholarship into a college for fine arts, and was able to fund herself by working for her tattoo master, Kussun.

However, when her father found out she was then studying, he had gone out of his way to destroy the scholarship by pulling some strings with the university in her third and final year. During that time, Nozomi and Eli had moved out, and the only way Nozomi could afford to stay with Eli was to sell her car.

Eli remembered the tear-stained face of her girlfriend as she sat outside of their apartment.

"That man is taking everything from me, _just_ because I didn't turn out the way he wanted."

When Nozomi said this, Eli felt her heart split in two. How could someone turn against their own child? Their flesh and blood? Why was Mr Toujou going out of his way to give his daughter hell?

Eli had to pull herself out of her thoughts as she reached her apartment: the _very_ apartment she and Nozomi had lived in ever since their final years of university.

Nico had decided to move back in with her family to help out around the house, but they needed new tenants for the lease. Lucky for them, three students, all a year younger than them, had offered to take over. That was how they met Honoka, Kotori and Umi.

* * *

The blonde reached into her coat pockets and pulled out her keys. With an automatic movement, she unlocked the door and opened it.

Upon entering, the florist found the bed sheets Nozomi had used folded neatly on the arm of the couch. Eli gazed sadly at the sheets, wondering if Nozomi would sleep there again tonight.

Normally, it took Nozomi a day or so to regain her regular habits, but if it involved her father, then who knew how long it would take her to get back to normal?

While Eli out to have a shower and get changed, she mulled over Nozomi's tendency to keep things to herself: the news must have been eating at her insides since Saturday.

Since she had been by herself for so long, Nozomi was used to keep everything to herself, locking away her problems and throwing away the key.

It had taken Eli some time to get Nozomi desensitised to opening up about her feelings, and the process was like wrestling a bull. The only difference being bulls were male and did not talk back.

Once Eli exited the shower and threw on some tracksuit pants and a tank top. Eli clenched her fists, remembering this face, and let out a snort of disgust.

* * *

Nozomi walked home, puffing on that goddamn e-cigarette. Her hat was tilted back, and her leather jacket was not enough to counteract the cold.

 _"I should_ really _get a warmer coat,"_ she thought, rounding the corner.

_"I had a super warm one when I was in Italy that Kussun got for me…I wonder where it is?"_

The artist felt a lot lighter after telling Rin the whole story, and the apprentice had to take twenty minutes to clean her up from sobbing before returning to her stencil practice. No one wants a crying tattoo artist near them, after all.

Nozomi trudged up the stairs to the apartment and pulled out her key. When she opened the door, the place was rather toasty.

Nozomi closed her eyes, letting the warmth embrace her. She took off her shoes and removed her jacket, revealing her navy blue t-shirt hoodie.

Upon entering the living room, Nozomi set down her bag and puffed out the synthetic flavoured smoke: she was _slowly_ getting used to the e-cigarette, but it just wasn't the same as a regular cigarette.

"Elichi?" Nozomi called out, wondering where her girlfriend was.

She knew that their spat yesterday had shaken them both slightly, but Nozomi knew it wasn't the worst one they had.

Two years ago, they had fought about money, and it was a 'fucking Greek tragedy' (in Umi's words.) People downstairs at their Christmas party had actually left because of the shouting match that was happening upstairs.

Nozomi pushed _that_ fight out of her mind as she slumped down onto the couch and placed her head in her hands. She could barely train Rin without the thought of her father looming over her, causing her mind to decay into a swirling black hole of anxiety and depression.

Nozomi _hated_ this. She hated being weak. The artist was so caught up in her self-loathing, fear and anger that she didn't hear a certain florist enter the apartment.

"I'm home," Eli called out, but instantly found Nozomi on the couch.

Eli placed the bag, contents unknown, on their dining table and attentively walked over to the tattooed girl.

"Hey," Eli slowly sat down next to her, not touching her. Nozomi raised her head and turned to look at Eli.

When she was barely centimetres away from the blonde, Nozomi was able to truly appreciate her features: perfect cheekbones, defined jawline, and those mesmerizing blue eyes that shone when she was happy.

Nozomi pulled her lips into a smile, and took out the e-cigarettes from her pocket and slapped them on the table.

"Got rid of all of my cigarettes, it's just these from now on," Nozomi's voice was small and weak.

Eli's lips parted as she stared down at the metal tubes, and her heart sank.

"Oh, Nozomi," Eli sighed and gently placed a hand on her girlfriend's thigh.

"This isn't about the cigarettes, and I'm so sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have snapped like that."

"Eh, it's fine," Nozomi shrugged, placing her elbows on her knees so that her fists could meet her forehead.

"You would've found out sooner or later."

"I just wish you told me about your father," Eli's voice was barely a whisper.

The artist heaved a sigh and looked away from the florist.

"He's not one of my favourite topics," green eyes closed.

"Nozomi,"

At the sound of her name, Nozomi opened her eyes again.

"You're not alone anymore. This isn't high school, you have nothing to hide. I am here, and I will not be going anywhere anytime soon," Eli gently moved a lock of hair behind Nozomi's ear, getting a look at her latest tattoo in the process.

"You can tell me anything, and I will listen. Shit, God knows how many times _you_ have listened to my mindless bitching, so please, let me help you," the blonde pressed her lips gently to Nozomi's cheek.

"It would be so much easier for you to deal with this if you just open up to me. We talked about this, remember?"

When Nozomi huffed away, Eli brought her brows together.

"Honesty is the best policy. That and…you know…actually talking."

The florist got to her feet and walked over to the bag she had left on the table. Nozomi didn't look up, but she heard some rummaging and rustling.

"You know, Nozomi," Eli started to talk while she worked.

"I'm so proud of you,"

"For what? Being a smoker with daddy issues?"

Eli chuckled, ignoring the darkness in Nozomi's tone.

"Believe it or not, its something else," Eli stopped what she was doing and looked up at the kitchen, eye crinkling at memories.

"I'm proud of you for getting through school, I'm proud of you for going to Italy, and I'm proud of you for getting through university."

"You were only there for _one_ of those three," Nozomi mumbled, and Eli just chuckled again.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can be proud of the Nozomi I didn't know yet," Eli continued to work while Nozomi lifted her head.

"I'm also proud of you for opening your very own shop and _not_ going under in the first year."

"…Thank you?" Nozomi raised an eyebrow. The blonde threw back her head and laughed.

"You'd be surprised how many independent businesses go under in their first year," Eli closed her eyes, remembering how difficult it was to maintain a steady income in her first year of having _Bibi._  
  
"But, you managed," when she opened her eyes, Eli peered down at her creation with a quirked grin.

Eli carried her creation as if it were made of pure crystal over to Nozomi.

"Close your eyes," Eli instructed the sulking tattoo artist.

"Why?" another raised eyebrow. Eli sighed and pouted.

"Do you _want_ my hard work to go to waste?"

"Not until you tell me what it is," Nozomi pouted back. Eli huffed and shifted her weight onto her right hip.

"You're a stubborn, cheeky little shit, you know that?"

"So I'm told," Nozomi let a tiny grin twitch at the corners of her mouth.

"Will you _just_ close your eyes for two seconds?"

"Fine," Nozomi obliged, shutting her green optics. Eli gently placed her creation onto Nozomi's head.

When Eli stepped back, she grinned.

It was the perfect size and shape for the artist's head. Stifling a giggle, Eli knelt down to meet Nozomi.

"I know it's been tough, especially with that bastard looming over you, waiting for you to trip so he can swoop in and make your life a living hell," Eli gently rested her hands on Nozomi's knees again.

Nozomi opened her eyes slowly.

"But you are so strong, Nozomi. You're like titanium or something, seriously!" Eli locked eyes with Nozomi, seeing the tears glistening.

"Your father is no match for you now, because you are stronger than ever," The blonde leaned into softly kiss the twin-tailed girl.

Nozomi slowly lifted up a hand to find out what Eli had placed on her head.

The texture was soft and crinkly, and Eli reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. She flipped the camera around, then showed the screen to Nozomi.

The tattoo artist took in her reflection from the front camera on Eli's phone.

On top of her head was a flower crown, made of white lilies, held together with some purple ribbon.

Her red cheeks and green eyes glistening with tears were shining as her lip quivered.

"You're beautiful, intelligent and so special, Nozomi," Eli smiled, and that was enough for Nozomi to unleash those tears.

The artist fell into Eli's open embrace, and sobbed.

Nozomi did not let go of the woman she loved for quite some time.


	22. What's My Age Again?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's My Age Again? - Blink 182
> 
> *The songs have nothing to do with the chapters.

Umi’s daily routine was basically clockwork: Wake up at 7, go to archery practice at 8, come home at shower at 9, then get ready for work to start at 11:30.   
  
As always, the shop would open at 11am, and Nozomi and Rin would be inside.  
  
So when Umi saw Rin standing out the front of the store, shivering from the icy temperature, shock would be an understatement.  
  
“Rin?” Umi walked closer to the apprentice and pulled out her own set of keys.  
  
“U-Umi-senpai!” Rin looked up, her nose and cheeks pink from the cold.   
  
“Where’s Nozomi?” Umi opened the shop door and disarmed the alarm with her clicker.   
  
Rin followed the piercer inside, and moaned with pleasure as the warmth engulfed her.  
  
“I don’t know, I hoping you would?”  
  
Umi pulled out her phone; brows knitted in confusion, and looked down at the screen.  
  
There was a text message from Nozomi’s number:  
  
_9:28am  
_ _‘Umi, this is Eli. Sorry about this, but Nozomi will be late to work today.’  
  
_ Umi’s blood ran cold at the message.   
  
“…Oh…” Umi quickly turned on the shop lights and powered up the computer.  
  
“Rin, I am so sorry, but I actually got a message from Nozomi. She’s going to be late today, but it’s my fault I didn’t see it until now because I actually hate technology an-”  
  
“Umi-senpai, it’s fine,” Rin got to work by setting up the stations.   
  
Umi shuddered as she turned on the lights to her piercing room.  
  
“Nozomi is going to kill me.”  
  
“Did she say why she’s going to be late?” Rin perked up from the station, beanie slanting on her head.   
  
“No, but I _think_ I know why,” Umi grimaced while Rin bounced over to the computer to check their schedules.   
  
“Okay, so you have a piercing at 11:45, and Nozomi-senpai has a tattoo at 12pm. Do you reckon she’ll get here in time?”  
  
The second those words left Rin’s lips, the door to the shop opened.  
  
There, in a leather jacket, stood Nozomi. She had her hands in her jacket’s pockets with an e-cigarette hanging from the corner of her mouth.  
  
“N-Nozomi!” Umi whipped around and threw herself into a bow.  
  
“I am so sorry, I only just saw your message and I thought Rin had her own set of ke-”  
  
Nozomi waved away Umi’s words as if they were a cloud. She walked into the breakroom and took off her jacket, revealing a white button-up shirt with two suspenders that were attached to a black skirt.  
  
“It’s fine, Umi-chan,” Nozomi smiled while she adjusted her twin tails.   
  
“Were there any clients waiting outside?”   
  
“N-No, just Rin,” Umi mumbled, noticing Rin was still wearing her coat.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Nozomi-senpai, I left my keys inside the breakroom,” Rin also bowed an apology.  
  
“I know this is the _last_ thing you want to happen, especially after everything you told us yesterday and what’s going on with you right n-”  
  
“Rin-chan,” Nozomi’s voice was like a whip crack, and the apprentice immediately shut her mouth.   
  
Nozomi sighed and placed her hands inside of her skirt’s pockets. She looked from her apprentice to the piercer, both were worried and apologetic.  
  
“It does not matter that we only just opened. I had a rough night, and texted Umi in the morning, who did not receive the message, and Rin left her keys here. I understand that none of that is professional at all, but,” Nozomi opened her eyes and peered at the computer, which was currently at the login screen.  
  
“If there were no clients, then it’s fine. It would be a totally different story if we had clients at 11am, now wouldn’t it?”  
  
Rin and Umi nodded, clearly imagining the scenario.   
  
The owner of _Lily White_ took the necessary steps towards the counter, and picked up the phone.  
  
“Rin-chan,” she addressed her apprentice. The orange-haired girl snapped up at once.  
  
“Y-Yes?!”  
  
“Relax,” Nozomi grinned, and handed her the phone.  
  
“Before we start your training, I’d like you to call _Jo’s_ and order some more ink in for us, okay?”  
  
“S-Sure,” Rin gingerly took the phone and got to work.

Nozomi turned on her heel to set up her station, but Umi grabbed her shoulder.  
  
“Nozomi, is everything okay?” the piercer lowered her voice so that only the tattoo artist could hear.   
  
“Everything is fine, Umi-chan,”  
  
“So what’s going to happen?”  
  
Nozomi sighed and took the e-cigarette out of her mouth.   
  
“The plan is to go about business as usual, and if _he_ shows up, you leave him for me to deal with. This is my issue to resolve, okay?”  
  
Umi grimaced, but nodded and squeezed Nozomi’s shoulder once more before letting go.

* * *

 

Eli stood next to Maki, watching the younger girl finish up her bouquet with the red ribbon.  
  
“Perfect, Maki,” the blonde smiled at the redhead, who stuck her nose up slightly.  
  
“This design is easy,” Maki moved the bouquet over to the vase, and got ready to start a new one.  
  
“Do you and Nozomi have any plans for Valentine’s day?”  
  
Eli tapped her lips with her first finger, “Well it’s in a couple of days, and I was thinking of just doing something with Nozomi to take her mind off of everything.”  
  
“Th-That was too much information,” Maki’s eyebrow twitched, and Eli turned bright red.  
  
“Get your mind out of the gutter!”  
  
“You said doing things!”  
  
“Nozomi is not the thing!”   
  
Nico burst out laughing, turning around with the weight of the watering-can to pull her.  
  
“Maki, you dirty-minded minx!”  
  
“Sh-shut up!” Maki was losing control over her words as Eli’s eyebrow twitched.  
  
“I’m going to do banking.”  
  
Eli stalked out of the store, in desperately need to clear her head and calm down.   
  
She needed a focused mind to deal with everything, _especially_ valentine’s day.  
  
Eli wanted nothing more than Nozomi to be happy, surrounded by people who loved her. Unfortunately, the majority of Nozomi’s family were scattered about the country, and the _only_ family member who would be dropping by soon was someone the tattoo artist did _not_ want to see.  
  
The blonde’s pulled out her phone while she waited in line for the bank, scrolling through her favourite florist’s website for ideas on how to style different bouquets.   
  
Eli might have been trained in Japan, but her style of flower arranging was more western; another reason why _Bibi_ stood out from other florists in the area.   
  
She had always wanted to learn ikebana, and other traditional Japanese styles of flower arranging, but there was no one willing to teach her due to her ‘foreignness.’   
  
Eli remembered the day that she had been turned down for the third time, and had stomped home and slammed the door to the bedroom.

 


	23. Back To Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

The door to _Lily White_ opened, and in stepped a familiar face. Rin looked up, and her eyes widened to the size of dishplates.  
  
“Kayo-chin!” Rin was ready to bound forward, but she remembered where she was and what she was doing.   
  
The apprentice turned off the tattoo machine and carefully stepped off the chair, and _then_ skipped over to Hanayo.   
  
The day-care worker smiled as Rin glomped her around the waist.  
  
“Hello, Rin-chan,” Hanayo gently patted the top of Rin’s head as Umi walked out of the breakroom.  
  
“Hanayo! It’s so nice to see you!” Umi greeted and tapped the computer to life.  
  
“What can we help you with?”  
  
“W-well, I wanted to g-”  
  
“Kayo-chin is getting a tattoo!” Rin interrupted, while Nozomi walked into the shop from the front door.  
  
“Hanayo-chan!” she also greeted her youngest friend.   
  
Umi flicked through their schedules, and her pierced eyebrows flew into her bangs.  
  
“Hanayo…you _are_ here for a tattoo but-”  
  
“But what? Wrong day?” Rin peered at the screen, and she physically jumped away as if the computer made an attempt to bite her.   
  
Umi whirled around to glare at Nozomi.  
  
“Why is Rin tattooing Hanayo?!”  
  
“Of course,” Nozomi smiled and clapped a hand on Rin’s shoulder.  
  
“The design is small and simple, and since this is Hanayo-chan’s first tattoo, why not Rin-chan be her first?”  
  
“And…last…”   
  
Hanayo looked at the ground, her voice small.   
  
Rin’s mind ticked away, trying to process what was happening, then practically threw herself at Nozomi. Grabbing her by the shoulders, she pleaded to her boss.  
  
“I’m not ready to tattoo Kayo-chin! You can’t make me tattoo her!”  
  
“You’re right, I can’t make you tattoo Hanayo-chan,” Nozomi grinned, ignoring the grip Rin had on her shoulders.   
  
“If you _really_ don’t want to tattoo Hanayo-chan, I will do it. However,” Nozomi peered at Rin’s current project: small flowers on more pigskin.  
  
“You are coming along quite nicely with your training, and it’s not like haven’t _done_ a real tattoo before,” Nozomi shifted her hair to show Rin the back of her heavily pierced ear.  
  
“Remember?”  
  
Rin’s eyebrow twitched as she let go of Nozomi’s shoulders. Hanayo just looked on, awkwardly fiddling with the belt-hole of her jeans.   
  
“Hanayo,” Umi turned to look at the youngest girl.  
  
“I know you wanted Rin to tattoo you, but if she cannot, would you mind if Nozomi did?”  
  
“I…I don’t mind at all,” Hanayo glanced up at the artists.  
  
“I…I wanted to be one of the first people Rin-chan tattooed, but if she’s too nervous, then Nozomi-san can d-”  
  
“Kayo-chin, I don’t want to ruin it!” Rin interrupted, her hands balled into fists.  
  
“I’m still learning to get over the nerves of holding the machine…I could _barely_ do Nozomi-senpai’s tattoo, and it’s not even the size of my first finger! I don’t want your first and only tattoo to be a sloppy mistake!”  
  
Nozomi looked at her apprentice. Rin was breathing heavily, her knees knocking together with her eyes watering.   
  
The tattoo artist turned her gaze to Umi, leaning her back against the counter with her arms folded.  
  
“Rin-chan,” Hanayo spoke up, fumbling in her bag for something. She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the apprentice.   
  
“This is the design I wanted,”  
  
Rin observed the paper that was trembling in her grasp.   
  
Nozomi peered over Rin’s shoulder: the design could easily be done in under an hour, and looked like it could be drawn in one fluid motion.   
  
Nozomi instantly recognized what the design was by the curl at the end.  
  
“This is Capricorn symbol,” Nozomi grinned. Hanayo smiled and fidgeted with her glasses.  
  
“Y-Yeah, it’s my zodiac sign,”  
  
Rin was still staring at the sign on the paper: the symbol was quite small, and a single black tone.   
  
“Rin-chan, you could _easily_ do this,” Nozomi smiled and took the piece of paper from Rin’s hands to place flat on the counter. She took out a pencil from the stationary cup and placed it against the paper.  
  
“Hanayo-chan, did you want that _exact_ design?”  
  
“I’m sorry?”  
  
Nozomi beckoned the day-care worker over to show her what she meant.   
  
In one swift and fluid movement, Nozomi drew the symbol again underneath it.  
  
“That is how _I_ draw the symbol, and now Rin-chan will draw it,” Nozomi handed the pencil to her apprentice.   
  
“Y-You want me to free hand it?” Rin blinked, and Nozomi nodded.  
  
“You’ll see what I mean,”   
  
Rin gulped and slowly redrew the symbol next to Nozomi’s.   
  
The owner of _Lily White_ then moved the paper over for Hanayo to see more clearly.  
  
“Everyone has a different style of drawing, see? You can tell who drew which symbol.”  
  
Umi also peered over Nozomi’s shoulder: the artist was right.  
  
“Rin has bolder lines with neater end, and Nozomi has smaller lines with curled ends,” Umi noted out loud. Hanayo peered at the three symbols on the page, and then looked at Rin with a smile.  
  
“Your symbol is so beautiful, Rin-chan,” Hanayo then gently took the apprentice’s heavily tattooed arm, and smiled.   
  
Rin took a deep breath, then looked from Hanayo to Nozomi.  
  
“Do you _really_ think I can do it?”  
  
“You are under my supervision, and the design is within the legal measurements for you tattoo, so,” Nozomi shrugged with a grin.  
  
“If _you_ think you can do it, then by all means. I will be with you as well,”  
  
“And me, too,” Hanayo interjected, then sheepishly realized what she had said.  
  
“O-Oh, I mean…you know, I’ll support you and all…I’ll of _course_ be there, since I’m the one getting tattooed and all…”   
  
Rin gave one final look at Nozomi, and gulped.  
  
“Okay. I’ll do it.”  
  
“Fantastic!” Nozomi smiled and clapped a hand on Rin’s shoulder.   
  
“You can do it, Rin,” Umi nodded from the counter.   
  
Hanayo hugged the apprentice tightly as Nozomi turned to Umi.  
  
“She’ll to a great job,”   
  
“She better, I don’t want Hanayo to sue us.”  
  
Nozomi chuckled at the statement as Rin took the paper and started to just out her Capricorn symbol.  
  
“Hanayo-chan cannot sue us if Rin-chan messes up, for two reasons: One, Rin-chan is not going to mess up the tattoo, and two, even if Hanayo-chan _doesn’t_ like the final product, she cannot sue because that reason is far too subjective.”  
  
“How do you know all of this?” Umi stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets. Nozomi’s grin faltered instantly while she watched Rin prepare to turn the drawing into a stencil.  
  
“Because when your father tries to shut down your shop, you _have_ to know the laws of tattooing and business management.”  



	24. YellowHouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yellowhouse - Softengine.
> 
> IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU MUST CHECK OUT SOFTENGINE.

The second Eli walked into her store, Maki and Nico shot up with grins on their faces.  
  
“We’re done!” Nico proudly beamed over the counter, an open book in front of her. Eli briskly walked into the backroom while she asked what was done.  
  
“The coding for Valentine’s Day orders, remember?” Maki twirled at her red hair.   
  
“Oh, good,” Eli skipped back out onto the floor and looked down at the book.   
  
Eli was rather old-fashioned when it came to codes and inventory. Although the shop had two POSes available, all of her keys and product lists were printed out and copied down into a book.   
  
That way she could make quick changes with the flick of her wrist rather than the whole process of entering in every minute change on the computers.  
  
“Looks good,” Eli skimmed the book, flipping through the pages.   
  
Sure enough, it was all coded, marked in different coloured pens and very neat. The three high-lighters in the stationary cup soon cam into Eli’s right hand.  
  
“Pick a colour, I’m blue,” Eli held out the three lighters as she claimed the one in the middle.  
  
“I’ll be pink,” Nico eyed that fluro colour with a smirk as Maki groaned.  
  
“Fine, I’ll be orange.”  
  
“When an order is complete, highlight it with your colour. That way we will know who processed the order. If anything goes array, we will have more of an idea as to who did it.”  
  
“Don’t worry, she says this every year,” Nico said to Maki.   
  
“Valentine’s day is always stressful for florists,” Eli added, peering at the pages, order after order was written upon the thin lines.  
  
“And it’s going to be a tough one this year.”  


* * *

  
  
“Okay, Kayo-chin,” Rin gently pressed the stencil to the back of Hanayo’s neck, trying her best to keep her hands steady.  
  
“You sure you want it in this position?” Rin then held up a mirror to show Hanayo, who nodded.  
  
“That’s perfect, Rin-chan,” her smile was enough to calm Rin down for a split second.   
  
The apprentice looked over at Nozomi for guidance, so the she walked forward to inspect the stencil.  
  
“It seems straight, and it’s the position she wants,” Nozomi tapped Rin on the shoulder.  
  
“Good job, Rin-chan,”  
  
“R-Really?!”  
  
“Of course. Now just double check with Hanayo-chan that’s the position is absolutely perfect, then you may start tattooing.”  
  
Rin’s face paled as Hanayo sat back in the chair backwards so that she was leaning against the back of the chair.   
  
“You can do it, Rin-chan!” Hanayo smiled.  
  
“R-Right…I can _do_ this,” Rin sucked in a breath and started to set up her ink and tattoo machine.   
  
Rin readied herself in her chair, and flicked the switch to the tattoo machine on. She slowly dipped the needle into ink, and took a deep breath.  
  
“Kayo-chin, I’m going to start. I’m sorry that this is going to hurt,” Rin gulped and waited for Hanayo to respond.  
  
“It’s okay, Rin-chan. Let’s do it.”  
  
Rin slowly moved the needle towards Hanayo’s body, and she gently placed the needle to Hanayo’s skin.  
  
Instantly, the childcare worker winced as the needle went through her skin.  
  
“Don’t squirm, Hanayo-chan,” Nozomi looked at the girl.  
  
“Unless you would like a squiggly line,”  
  
“S-sorry,” Hanayo stuttered and shut her eyes while Rin took deep breaths.  
  
“I’m sorry that it’s hurting, Kayo-chin,”  
  
“It’s fine, Rin-chan. I know what I’m getting myself into but-”  
  
“Nothing can prepare you for the pain,” Umi smiled from the counter.  
  
“But at least Rin actually _warned_ you first. Nozomi didn’t even bother to warn me when she did my stomach tattoo.”  
  
“You are a body piercer, Umi-chan,” Nozomi smiled back while she fumbled inher pocket for the e-cigarette.  
  
“You of _all_ people know what it’s like to experience pain. You didn’t need a warning.”  
  
“It would’ve been _nice_ if you had _told_ me how much the stomach was going to hurt!”  
  
“You have jewellery on your stomach.”  
  
Umi scoffed and folded her arms, continuing to watch Rin work. Nozomi stuck the e-cigarette in her mouth and approached her apprentice to check up on her work.   
  
Her lines were neat and smooth, and she was following the stencil.  
  
“Excellent work, Rin-chan,” Nozomi complimented her apprentice.   
  
“Just remember to lean back a bit, okay?” Nozomi tilted Rin into a position where her nose _wasn’t_ about to dip itself into the ink.   
  
“Hanayo-chan, how are you feeling?”   
  
“I’m okay!” came the muffled reply, as Hanayo’s mouth was against her left arm due to the position of her head.

“Even in _that_ position, you seem to be doing better than Nozomi,” Umi quietly remarked as she headed into the break room.


	25. Gonna Get Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gonna Get Mine - Halestorm

“Do you need water or anything?” Umi asked.  
  
“I’ll be fine, thank you Umi!”  
  
The piercer went into the breakroom to get her own bottle of water.

The second Umi took her water bottle out of her bag, a vibration sounded from the desk.   
  
_“The heck?”_ Umi straightened up and observed the desk. It was Nozomi’s phone.  
  
The number, brightly lit up against the screen, was flashing.   
  
Umi bit her lip, and instinctively chewed on her snakebite. Without even thinking, she reached forward to pick up the phone.  
  
“Umi-chan,”  
  
The piercer whirled around as if gun shots had sounded, and raised her hands to cover her head.   
  
Nozomi stood in the doorframe, leaning against his lazily with her arms folded.  
  
“Is everything okay?”  
  
Umi forced her mind’s cob-web covered cogs to click back into gear to speak, but nothing came out apart from some spluttering.   
  
Since her voice did not wish to cooperate, Umi pointed a shaking finger at the phone on the desk, that was _still_ vibrating.  
  
Nozomi sighed and walked towards the desk.  
  
“I better take this,”  
  
“I-It’s not-”  
  
“It’s not him, Umi. But I still need to take it. Please, excuse me,” Nozomi picked up her phone and swiped a finger lazily against across the screen.   
  
The artist walked straight past the piercer towards the door to the back alley, and Umi just stared after her.   
  
“Umi-senpai! Someone wants a bellybutton piercing!”  
  
Rin’s voice made Umi sigh and turn back to the floor.  
  


* * *

 

 Eli gave her flowers three days before disposing of them in the recycling garden she had out the back of her shop.   
  
Eli never saw the point in people throwing out perfectly good flowers into bins.   
  
When the blonde took over _Bibi,_ she set up a rectangular flowerbed in the small concrete area outside of her shop that was connected to the post office adjacent to her.   
That, and she changed the name of the store to _Bibi._ Being the manager of _Fun Flowers_ was something she’d only consider if hell was freezing over.  
  
Eli knelt down and planted the old daffodils into the soil of her concrete garden, quietly humming a tune. Upon realising what the tune _was,_ she groaned and stopped immediately.  
  
_“Dammit, Nozomi! Now I have_ Halestorm _stuck in my head!”_ Eli mentally cursed the artist upon standing up and dusting down her apron.   
  
She felt her pocket vibrate, and shoved a hand in to grab her phone.  
  
“Well, speak of the devil,” Eli grinned and swiped the screen to answer Nozomi’s call.  
  
“Hello, Nozomi,”  
  
"Afternoon, Elichi,”  
  
“What do I owe the pleasure?” Eli stared out at her garden as Nozomi took a deep breath.  
  
“Well, you said I needed to be more open so…”  
  
There was a pause, and Eli’s grin dropped at once.  
  
“Is something wrong?”  
  
“Apparently my shop is getting a new owner.”  
  
“Wh-What?!” Eli’s heart stopped.   
  
“Not like _that,_ Elichi,” Nozomi chuckled, and Eli let out a sigh of relief.  
  
“Oh thank goodness.”  
  
“I meant a landlord…The shop is changing hands to a new landlord.”  
  
“Oh, okay?”  
  
“You’ll never guess who it is.”  
  
Eli tapped her chin in thought.  
  
“Vladimir Putin?”  
  
“No, your father is _not_ my new landlord,”  
  
Eli huffed in annoyance as Nozomi laughed.   
  
Feeling her eyebrow twitched, she ignored that jab and continued.  
  
“So, who _is_ your new landlord?”  
  
“Kotori’s mother.”  
  
“Wait, seriously?” Eli nearly dropped the phone.   
  
“Yep, apparently she wanted a change of scenery from being chairwoman of the high school. Now she’s a landlord.”  
  
“Well, good for her, I guess. She’s nor raising your rent or anything, I hope?” Eli fiddled with the strap of her apron.   
  
“No, there’s been nothing like that. I just wish my old landlord gave me more notice.”  
  
“Yeah, true. Did they let anyone else know?”  
  
“No, he just fucked off and probably fell down in the process.”  
  
Eli chuckled and turned to head back inside to escape the cold.   
  
“So, what did you want to do tomorrow?” She walked down the small alleyway back to the main street with one hand stuck in her jeans pocket.  
  
“Not really, I’d like to close up early and just come home. If it’s alright with you, I’d just like a quiet night in, Elichi. Perhaps Friday night we can go out and do something?”  
  
“No, I understand, that’s totally fine. I’m gonna be wiped out tomorrow anyway,” Eli grimaced at the thought of the hell of a day that valentine’s day was going to be for her shop. But, at least they were going to beat budget.  
  
“Ah, sorry Elichi, but I need to get back to Rin-chan. She’s almost finished with Hanayo-chan’s tattoo and I’d be an awful teacher if I wasn’t there.”  
  
“Go for it, and send me a picture!”  
  
“Will do, I’ll see you tonight, Elichi.”  
  
“See you, Nozomi,” Eli smiled, then hung up as she placed a hand on the door to her shop, the other hand clutching at her chest, which was now warm.

 

* * *

 

“What took so long?” Nico huffed, trimming more thorns from red roses.   
  
Eli ignored her friend and proceeded to the counter to do a daily count.   
  
“Nozomi has a new landlord that just happens to be Kotori’s mother.”  
  
“But she was our chairwoman at highschool!”

“She must have wanted a change of pace, but she’s still in charge of _something,_ ” Maki grinned.  
  
“True,” Nico sighed, and went back to setting up the ribbons.  
  
“These orders are never ending!”  
  
“It’s double what we had last year,” Eli was scribbling down measurements for a unique order on a piece of paper, then pulled out the blue highlighter.  
  
“No one is to touch this box unless your name is Eli. Okay?” she held up the obtuse box and showed it to Nico and Maki.   
  
They both nodded, knowing that Eli would _surely_ murder them if they dared touch that box.  
  
The phone rang, and Maki rushed over to answer.  
  
“ _Bibi_ flowers, Maki speaking,” The young student twirled at her red strands while she was on the phone.   
  
Eli left Maki to handle the phone, and got Nico to get more boxes to pop up for flowers from their back room.   
  
Maki’s face paled upon hearing the voice on the other end of the phone. Her hand that held ribbons started to shake, and her violet eyes twitched.   
  
Once the other person on the phone hung up, Maki practically slammed the phone down back onto the charging station and shuddered violently.  
  
“Wh-What kind of sick bastard says that about his daughter…”


	26. Unbalanced love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unbalanced Love - Printemps (Aaayy)

“Aaand, I’m done!” Rin leaned back into her chair, panting heavily, and kicked off the tattoo machine.   
  
Despite being a star football player with incredible stamina, It had taken Rin all of her focus to complete the tiny simple design.  
  
“Well done, Rin-chan!” Nozomi walked over while applauding lightly.   
  
Umi stuck her head out of the piercing room and smiled.  
  
“Congratulations, Rin! That’s your first official tattoo on your first official client!”  
  
“Kayo-chin, are you okay?” Rin asked breathlessly as the girl raised her head slightly.  
  
“Yes, Rin-chan, I’m okay,”  
  
Nozomi peered over Hanayo, and observed the finished tattoo.   
  
“Nicely done, Rin-chan,” Nozomi complimented the bold and neat style, and then took out her phone to take a picture.   
  
“Here, Hanayo-chan, this is what it looks like,” Nozomi then showed Hanayo the picture.   
  
The young girl’s eyes widened and she gasped with a smile.  
  
“It looks so pretty! We _have_ to put this on your _instagram_ profile,” Hanayo smiled as Rin gently swiped any excess ink off of Hanayo’s red, swollen neck.  
  
“Good idea!” Rin whipped out her phone from her jeans pocket and opened up the camera. One click later, she pocketed her phone and reached over to grab a tube of cream.  
  
“Kayo-chin, this cream will help ease the tattoo’s healing process. I’ll rub some on it now for you, then I’ll do it again later tonight,” Rin’s tone was steady as she gently rubbed the cream onto the fresh tattoo.  
  
“Nozomi-senpai says that new tattoos are technically open wounds, so I’m going to put some cling wrap over the top to protect it.”  
  
“I see Nozomi-san has taught you well,” Hanayo smiled, making Nozomi shrug.  
  
“I try.”  
  
“Thank you again for looking after Rin-chan, Nozomi-san,” Hanayo turned her gaze to the older tattoo artist.   
  
Nozomi’s eyes crinkled with happiness, and she simply waved the polite girl’s words away.  
  
“You’re more than welcome, Hanayo-chan, I could not have asked for a better apprentice.”  
  
“Kayo-chin, I don’t want you to take this wrapping off until you have a bath tonight, okay?” Rin finished placing the wrap against Hanayo’s neck, and started to tape it down with sticky tape.  
  
“Again, I’ll help you put a fresh wrap on at home. Oh! Also, _please_ don’t scratch it, okay? It might mess up the ink.”  
  
“Rodger that, captain,”   
  
“Am…Am I missing anything?” Rin turned to look at Nozomi for help. Nozomi placed a hand on Rin’s shoulder.  
  
“No, you’ve done well,”  
  
“Oh thank God,” Rin slumped into her chair again, and everyone chuckled.  
  
“That small tattoo really took a lot out of you, hey?” Umi left the piercing room with a client and smiled at Rin, who waved a hand.  
  
“Staying focused is difficult! How the hell are you able to do large pieces?!”  
  
“It takes time to get use to being still for so long, Rin-chan,” Nozomi grinned.  
  
“But it’ll become second nature soon enough. By the way,” Nozomi took out her own phone from her pocket.  
  
“Can you please send me the picture you took of Hanayo-chan’s tattoo? Elichi wants to see it, if that is okay with Hanayo-chan?”  
  
“Yes, that’s fine,” Hanayo’s voice was even quieter than usual, but Nozomi knew it was from the tattoo needle.   
  
Everyone was tired after having a small needle penetrate all seven layers of their skin for a period of time.

 

* * *

 

Umi turned the doorknob to her flat and practically fell into her home.  
  
Some would frown upon the twenty-five-year-old for living with her fiancé and best friend, but hey, rent was easier on her, and there was always someone to talk to if she needed.   
  
“Umi-chan! Welcome home!” Honoka called from the kitchen downstairs. Their flat was rather strange; it was sort of like a bunker. The kitchen, living room and bathroom was the right staircase from the front door, and the three rooms were up the left staircase.   
  
When Eli, Nico and Nozomi moved out, the trio moved in to take over. It had been a great decision: Umi and Kotori shared a room, Honoka had the second room to herself, and the third bedroom was converted into a study and miscellaneous space. Umi would often meditate in the mornings in the room, Kotori would sew during the evening, and Honoka would go online in the middle of the night.  
  
“Evening,” Umi smiled, taking off her shoes and removing her jacket. Kotori and Honoka were in the kitchen, and something smelt amazing.  
  
“We’re having ribs tonight! Mum finally sent me the recipe,” Kotori smiled as Umi descended the stairs. The two were often home at around 5pm, since the day-care shut at 4pm, they’d be home and preparing dinner and doing their other duties.  
  
Kotori put down the lettuce she was currently preparing to kiss Umi on the cheek.  
  
“So, how was work?”   
  
“Oh! How is Hanayo-chan’s tattoo?! We haven’t seen her since it’s her day off and all,” Honoka interrupted Kotori by whirling around, butcher knife in hand.  
  
“Woah, Honoka!” Umi jumped back with Kotori as the knife glinted in the light.  
  
“Sorry,” Honoka place the knife on the bench sheepishly.   
  
“Rin did a really good job, there will probably be a picture up on _instagram_ soon enough,” Umi sighed and took out her phone. Nozomi had emailed everyone the photo, anyway.  
  
“Here,” Umi turned the screen around to show her housemates.  
  
“It’s so simple and pretty!”   
  
“I’m surprised it wasn’t a rice ball,” Umi muttered as Kotori zoomed in on the photo with her fingers.  
  
“You _really_ think Hanayo-chan would get a rice ball tattoo?”  
  
“You have manjuu on your ankle, remember?” Honoka smirked, making Umi blush furiously.  
  
“J-Just the kanji!”  
  
“That’s in a little pink circle”  
  
Umi’s eye twitched. Getting that tattoo was a _big_ mistake, but Nozomi promised _all_ of her new employees a free tattoo when they started working. Umi, in a fit of happiness and excitement, had requested kanji for ‘manju’ on her left ankle.  
  
It went with the rest of her tattoos; all were kanji.   
  
“How are your ribs, Kotori?” Umi asked her fiancé. Kotori smiled and lifted up her shirt.  
  
“They’re fine! I’ve been taking care of it everyday, just like Nozomi-san says,” Kotori smiled, while Honoka turned the oven up in temperature.  
  
“Umi-chan, can you set the table?”   


-

The three of them sat at the table, eyeing the ribs as if they were cursed.   
  
“Honoka, are you _sure_ you followed the recipe?”  
  
“I followed it to a T! I don’t know why they’re so…squidgy”  
  
“I-I’m sure they taste fine,” Kotori picked up one and bit down. Umi and Honoka stared at the day-care worker, and when Kotori smiled and gave a thumbs up, they relaxed.  
  
“I think you just put too much sauce on, Honoka-chan.”   
  
“Oh thank goodness! We don’t have to starve to death,” Honoka instantly took a tonne of ribs and smacked them onto her plate.  
  
“Thank goodness we’re eating at a restaurant tomorrow night,”  
  
“Hey!” Honoka pouted as Umi smiled apologetically.  
  
“What’s tomorrow again?”  
  
“Valentine’s Day.”  
  
“Oh…” Honoka dipped her head, and the engaged couple instantly regretted talking about the restaurant.  
  
“W-We could cancel the reservation! We’ve only had it for like three months or so, I doubt they’d mind.”  
  
“No no, you guys go ahead! I just remembered that I’m going to my parent’s tomorrow, anyway,” Honoka smiled.  
  
“Anyway, how is everyone at the shop, Umi-chan?”   
  
Umi was about to put a rib in her mouth, but the question was asked.   
  
“It’s fine, you both know Rin did Hanayo’s tattoo today…Oh, actually, we have a new landlord now.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
Umi turned to face Kotori and grinned.  
  
“Your mother.”  
  
“Wh-What?!”  
  
“She’s our new landlord.”  
  
“As usual, she _never_ tells me anything,” Kotori’s hands clenched around her rib as a scowl graced her features.   
  
Honoka looked up, her face covered in barbecue sauce.  
  
“So, what’s going to happen?”  
  
“Nothing, we just continue our business as usual. If there’s a problem, I’ll let Nozomi deal with it. She’s the manager, not me,” Umi bit into her ribs as Kotori bit her lip.  
  
“Something wrong, Kotori-chan?”  
  
“D-Did _we_ pay rent for our business, yet?”  
  
“Yep! I did it yesterday!”  
  
“Oh, thank goodness,” Kotori sighed and leaned back against her chair.   
  
“It’s also just weird that it’s so sudden,” Umi mumbled, staring at her plate.  
  
“There was no notice or anything, it just…happened…”  
  
Umi couldn’t shake the swirling pit of anxiety in her stomach about this.   
  



	27. Light In The Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light In The Black - Sabaton
> 
> Guess who's an an idiot and uploaded the wrong chapter last week? Me.
> 
> This is the chapter that comes BEFORE the NicoMaki...

From the moment Eli woke up the next morning, she knew it was going to be a long, tough day. But for once, she actually _woke_ up and _got_ up at 6am. Nozomi was sleeping peacefully, hands lightly holding the pillow Eli’s head usually lay on.  
  
_“She always looks so peaceful when she’s sleeping,”_ Eli thought with a smile as she clipped her bra up at the back.  
  
The blonde’s gaze lingered on the tattoo artist. Nozomi always had to wake Eli up, even though she didn’t need to be up and about until later. Nozomi didn’t _have_ to wake Eli up if she didn’t want to, but she still did.  
  
Eli wondered why _anyone_ would be so cruel to someone so pure and kind. Why would Nozomi’s father go out of his way to cause his daughter hell for her choices?  
  
_“No. Don’t think about the prick today,”_ Eli shook her head and walked over to Nozomi, barefoot against the carpet.  
  
_“Today is Valentine’s day, and we’re going to spend it together. We’re going to have the best evening,”_ Eli’s determined thoughts stayed with her as she got dressed and threw on her coat. It was going to be _freezing_ when she stepped out of their warm home.  
  
Sure enough, the second Eli opened the front door; a gush of icy cold wind smacked her in the face. With a grimace, the blonde threw herself out of her home and shut the door.  
  
“Why do I do this to myself,” she grumbled, hugging her sides as she started to walk down the stairs to work.

* * *

 

 Eli knew that Valentine’s day would be a ridiculously busy day for her shop, and even though she got there at 7am, she’d _have_ to stay until 6pm.  
  
She wasn’t surprised when people started lining up at 8:30am for flowers, so Eli continued her paperwork in the backroom as to not get their hopes up of opening early.  
  
“We open at 9am on the dot,” she mumbled, filling out dispatch reports for the damaged shipment of boxes that needed to be sent back to the company that made them.  
  
The phone next to her vibrated, and Eli looked down at the screen:  
  
_‘Nico: 8:53am_  
ARE YOU INSIDE?! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR! WE’RE FREEZING AND THERE’S AN ANGRY MOB OF IDIOTS OUTSIDE!’  
  
Eli sighed and unlocked her phone and sent back a text.  
  
_‘Eli: 8:53am_  
You’ll need to go around the back. No point in feeding the mob. I’m in the backroom so I’ll let you in.’

  
Sure enough, a minute later, loud and angry banging on the backdoor sounded. Eli got up and opened it, and Maki and Nico fell into the room, panting slightly.  
  
“The line is growing, Eli,” Maki breathed, hands on knees.  
  
“You’re fucking evil, y’know that?” Nico spat, and Eli let out another sigh.  
  
“I don’t want to get their hopes up, Nico,” Eli shut the door and folded her arms.  
  
“Yes, it’s a commercial holiday that will boost our sales, but we open at 9am; no earlier, no later.”  
  
“Everything’s set up, I presume?” Maki took off her jacket and swapped it for her red apron.  
  
“Yes, the orders are ready to go,” Eli nodded to the shelf Maki was next too.  
  
“They are all labelled and ready to go, just make sure you get the customer to sign a pickup order form, it looks like this,” Eli walked over to the desk and picked up a small piece of paper.  
  
“That we, we know no one stole anything.”  
  
“You really think people will try and _steal_ a flower bouquet?” Maki raised an eyebrow, and Nico swooped in.  
  
“Oh Maki, dear, sweet, innocent Maki, you’ll be surprised at what some people will do for flowers.”

 

* * *

“So how long have you two been together?”

“One year exactly,”  
  
“And you want to get matching tattoos…”  
  
“That’s right!”  
  
Umi inwardly groaned, and fiddled with her eyebrow piercing. She looked over at Rin, who was readying a station, and then back at the happy couple in front of her.  
  
“Did you have a design in mind?”  
  
“Yep!” The man pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to the piercer. When Umi opened it, she had to resist the urge to throw the paper to the ground and stomp on it.  
  
Rin bounced over and peered at the design, and she too had to throw her hand to her mouth to stifle the snorts of laughter.  
  
“It’s cute, isn’t it?” The man smiled.  
  
At this point, Rin had tears in her eyes, and babbled something about going to get Nozomi before stumbling away, hands clutching at her sides.  
  
Umi was left alone at the counter again, turning very red.

  
  
As usual, Nozomi was leaning against the backdoor with the e-cigarette in her mouth, reviewing a design for a client later on in the day.    
  
“N-Nozomi-senpai,” Rin threw herself against the wall, tears in her eyes from laughing. Nozomi looked around with a smile.  
  
“Yes, Rin-chan?”  
  
Rin’s whole face was red from silent laughter, and all she could do was point a shaking finger to the floor.  
  
“You might want to have a look at this design and…fix it up,” Rin let out peels of hoarse laughter as she leaned her shoulders against the wall for support.  
  
Nozomi placed the e-cigarette in Rin’s hands to act as a holder, and then walked out of the break room to talk to the client, sketchbook closed and folded under her left arm.  
  
A few moments later, Umi entered the break room; she was shrivelled up and let her long hair fall over her face.  
  
The second she shut the door, Rin let out loud howls of laughter and sank to the floor, still holding Nozomi’s e-cigarette.  
  
“That design! That _fucking_ design!”  
  
“Q-Quiet Rin,” Umi leaned against the table and let her head drop to her chest.  
  
“That was such a shameful design…” Was the weak reply, and Rin’s laughter went silent as her chest heaved.  
  
“Do you reckon we could get a photo of that legend and hang it up on the wall?! Please Umi-senpai!”  
  
“Absolutely not.”  
  
The door opened, and Nozomi stuck her head in the door, smiling brightly.  
  
“Umi-chan, you’re 12pm is here for a septum.”  
  
“O-Okay,” Umi straightened up and rolled the hair tie off her wrist. On her way out, Nozomi lightly smacked her bottom, making Umi shriek.  
  
“You have a dirty mind, Umi-chan,” Nozomi teased lightly with her hands on her hips.  
  
“That picture was two scoops of caramel ice cream in a cone, not something _phallic_ ”  
  
Nozomi could practically see the steam coming out of the seething Umi’s heavily pierced ears.  
  
Rin continued to cry with laughter on the floor.  
  
“Honestly, you two,” Nozomi sighed with a grin, then knelt down in front of Rin to pluck the cigarette from her apprentice’s hands.  
  
“It...it….it looked like a –”  
  
“I am aware, Rin-chan,” Nozomi stood up again and extended her hand.  
  
“Come on, up you get! I have to fix this design so that it doesn’t look like these two lovebirds have male genitalia on their arms.”

 


	28. Apocalypse Please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, remember that pair nicomaki? I don't. 
> 
> Apocalypse Please - Muse

Maki briskly walked out back to collect an order for a bouquet, but couldn’t shake the awful things the man on the phone had said yesterday.

 _‘She’s a good-for-nothing abomination. I thought my only daughter was going to be a star, a beacon of hope, but she fell into this stupid airy fairy mindset that being an artist was going to get her somewhere in life! It makes me sick just thinking about it.’_  
  
Maki shivered as she picked up the bouquet, the man’s words rung in her ears still.  
  


* * *

  
  
It was _still_ there, even when she and Nico shut the shop, and headed off to a restaurant for dinner.

“Who would _say_ something like that?!”  
  
“Nozomi’s old man,” Nico sighed, one hand had a glass of red wine, and the other had a cigarette. Maki stared at her own gin and tonic, then groaned again.  
  
“What I want to know is why did he call _Bibi?_ It’s pretty random, don’t you think?”  
  
“It is, Maki,” Nico looked down at the gin and tonic, too.  
  
“But there is a method to his madness”  
  
“What? I don’t get it,” Maki was genuinely confused, unlike her normal aloof persona that she put on. Nico grimaced and took a long drag from her cigarette.  
  
“Osamu Tojo is the CEO of a company that deals in technology. He makes some _serious_ money and always gets jobs done. If he wants something, he’ll fight tooth and nail to get it.”  
  
“Even if it means disregarding his family?”  
  
“You heard what he did to his wife,” Nico’s voice was withering away as she stared down at her food again.  
  
“That man is ambitious and strives for the stars. He doesn’t like anything that’s not 100% perfect, and _hates_ things that ruin people’s health, like sicknesses and smoking.”  
  
Maki joined the dots mentally.  
  
“But why would he disregard his wife when she got sick?”  
  
“Her illness came out of nowhere: no warnings, no nothing. Because it struck so suddenly, there wasn’t much the doctors could do, even _with_ the technology they had at their disposal. O-dickface just turned his back on Ayako because her illness reduced her to a weaker being.”  
  
Maki frowned. None of this made any sense. Nico could clearly see the scepticism in the younger woman’s eyes.  
  
“Do you know what he did to Nozomi when she was younger?”  
  
“Do I want to?”  
  
“It might help you understand this psychotic fucktard some more,” Nico took another drag from her cigarette with hunched shoulders.  
  
“Nozomi has always been an artistic person, ever since she was a wee little kid, whose breasts were always abnormally larger than your average child,” Nico grumbled while Maki rolled her eyes.  
  
“So just like you’re expected to take over your family’s business, Nozomi was exactly the same. O-wankstain was hellbent on making her into his successor, which meant all work and no play. Nozomi’s artistic ability was deemed useless, and he shoved her into a private boarding school to…fix her…into the daughter he wanted.”  
  
“It clearly didn’t work?”  
  
“Not at all. Plus, to make matters worse, the asshat blamed it all on Ayako. Nozomi has never been super close to her parents, but clearly her mother was more caring and, not to mention, a _decent_ human being.”  
  
“What did Nozomi’s mum do for a living?”  
  
“She was a science teacher, and a damn good one at that,” Nico lightly grinned.  
  
“She actually took my class in my first year of high school. They moved around a lot, y’know? O-loser had meetings and work stuff, so he dragged his wife with him.”  
  
“I can understand why you keep changing his name,” Maki mumbled.  
  
“He doesn’t even deserve me saying _any_ variation of his fucking name,” Nico spat, then took a swig of her drink.  
  
“Basically, Nozomi wanting to be an artist was a giant slap in the face for O-fucknugget, and he went _ballistic_. Nozomi hasn’t had anyone who’s cared for her in a while since her mother passed away…She was lucky to have found Eli.”  
  
“True that,” Maki sighed, remembering the amount of effort Eli had put in to that one box of flowers that the other two were forbidden to touch.  
  
“I’m guessing that box was for Nozomi, then?”  
  
“It wasn’t too hard to join the dots,” Nico smirked.  
  
“Nozomi loves white lilies, so Eli did a custom box just for her.”  
  
“That’s sweet of her,” Maki’s light smile didn’t really fit the atmosphere. Nozomi’s father was a cruel man, and upon hearing what he had done to Nozomi, and the people Nozomi loved, Maki could only pray that he would just, by some miracle, leave her alone.  
  
“Here,” Nico reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. I was heart-shaped, and had a small tomato sticker on the top.

  
“I didn’t have much time, b-but happy Valentine’s Day, Maki.”  
  
The red-head took the box, and blushed. She wiggled her toes awkwardly, and felt her throat tighten. It was so sweet of Nico to do this for her.  
  
“Thank you, Nico-chan,” she awkwardly smiled, and opened the box.  
  
Her heart stopped.  
  
Inside was a silver ring with a ruby in the centre. Maki felt her hands shake violently, and her throat was practically constricting her.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a little spinoff to this fic, too. It's called 'Steel.' You can find it on my profile.
> 
> Also, feel free to comment.


	29. Baby I'm Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still sad about u's ending? Same. Have some Nozoeli fluff. 
> 
> Baby I'm Yours - Arctic Monkeys  
> *This is my favourite love song of all time. This is how you win the swirling black pit that replaced my heart.

_ 7:46pm,  Niccochi:  
SHE SAID YES!!!! _

 

_7:47PM, Nozomi:_  
 _Why wouldn’t she? Actually…_  
  
_7:47pm: Niccochi_  
 _YOU’RE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!! D: <_

Nozomi let out a laugh at the response, and continued her journey home.

 

* * *

 

  
When Nozomi turned the key to her apartment door and opened it, the familiar warm rush of air raced towards her. With a small sigh, Nozomi stepped into her apartment and closed the door behind her, locking out all of her outside problems in the process.   
  
“Perhaps I should have worn jeans today instead of a skirt and leggings,” she mumbled, taking off her shoes and removing her beanie. Technically, it was Eli’s beanie, but Nozomi decided to borrow it because it was rather cold.  
  
“I’m home,” she called out, and was met with a ‘hello’ from the living room.  
  
The tattoo artist poked her head into the living room, and smiled.   
  
Upon the dining table sat a large box of white lilies, with rose petals scattered across the tabletop. It was so clichéd, but Nozomi’s grin did not waver once.  
  
“Hey you,” Eli turned around, wearing that stupid apron again. Nozomi let out a laugh as she placed down her bag. Rolling up her sleeves to expose her tattooed arms, the artist walked strode forward and scooped up the blonde in her arms.  
  
Eli let out a squeal of surprise as Nozomi spun around once, then placed her back on the ground.  
  
“Elichi, you little devil,” Nozomi pulled the florist into a deep kiss, and allowed her hands to roam around Eli’s back.  
  
“H-Hey, this was nothing,” Eli managed to get out when Nozomi pulled away. The green eyed girl turned her attention to peppering Eli’s neck with small kisses, and Eli just sighed.  
  
“You’re so easy to impress, seriously,” she grinned and ran a hand through the dark purple hair. Nozomi trailed her kisses up Eli’s neck and to her ear, nibbling on the lobe. Eli let out a giggle, and then reluctantly pushed the affectionate artist away, knowing that their dinner would go cold and that they’d never leave the bed if they went that way now.  
  
“Come on, I spent a while on dinner,” Eli managed to push her overly-affectionate girlfriend away, but did take her hand and lead her to the table.  
  
“What’s on the menu, Gordon?” Nozomi joked, getting a sigh from the blonde.  
  
“Pirozhki.”  
  
“Aw yes!” Nozomi fist pumped as she sat down in the chair. She continued to chant “Pi-rozh-ki, Pi-rozh-ki, Pi-rozh-ki,’ as Eli made her way to the kitchen.  
  
“It’s got steak inside.”  
  
“Did I ever tell you how much I love you?” Nozomi swooned, eyes twinkling and chin resting on balled fists.   
  
Eli blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She placed the plate of fried bread on the table and sat down.   
  
“You tell me a fair bit,”  
  
“Well, it’s always true, Elichi,” Nozomi clapped her hands together and said a quick prayer.  
  
“Thank you for the food,” she grinned, then took two of the buns and placed them on her plate.  
  
“Wow, _you’re_ hungry,” Eli smiled, picking the white wine out of the chiller on the table and pouring herself a glass. Nozomi looked up, but continued to chew.  
  
“I had a few clients today, and with the amount of designs I had to rearrange, I probably set a new record.”  
  
“I saw the ice cream one,” Eli raised an eyebrow, and Nozomi let out a chuckle.  
  
“Y’know, they were pretty set on that design. It took a fair bit of convincing them to changing it.”  
  
“Have you _ever_ had to tattoo a phallic image?”  
  
Nozomi froze at the question. Ayase Eli, the nyctophobic, quarter-Russian manager of _Bibi Flowers,_ just asked her _that_ question?  
  
“Are you not feeling well, Elichi?”  
  
“I-It’s just a question!” Eli blushed and hid behind her wine glass. Nozomi let out a laugh, and shook her head..  
  
“Not by itself. When people want pinups, you kind of _have_ to include breasts.”  
  
“Th-that’s natural, I guess,” Eli stuttered and took a drink. Nozomi snorted again.

“How many flowers did you sell today?”  
  
“We made $4,000, if that gives you an indication,”  
  
“That’s really impressive, Elichi,” Nozomi smiled.   
  
Eli was intelligent. Nozomi liked to joke that it was because her name was in the word, but in all seriousness, Eli was a smart businesswoman. She completely changed the layout of the shop, the roster, and fired the old employees when she took over. Her method of working was to have a close-knit group of three staff members who were all equal in training, so that when she was not there, she didn’t need to worry about the store. Since Eli and Nico were the only two full-time workers, the two were on shift together, and would bounce off each other with customers during transactions, making it a friendlier environment rather than just a retail store. Maki, despite being a causal worker who studied full time, used her creative abilities for marketing and advertisement to really draw people in.   
  
It was for those reasons that _Bibi Flowers_ became a sophisticated store, run by a very intelligent woman. No wonder everyone went there for Valentine’s day.  
  
“Oh! Since we’re on the topic of earnings,” Nozomi quickly excused herself and hurried over to her bag. She had been working on this in secret for quite some time for this very day.   
  
The artist pulled out her sketchbook, feeling Eli’s quizzically look on her back as she straightened up and turned around.  
  
“I had this vision three months ago,” Nozomi opened up the sketchbook and flicked forward to the page she needed.  
  
“When I dropped by your store in the summer, and you had those really pretty vases on sale with the flowers.”  
  
“Is that so?” Eli eyed the blurs of drawings as Nozomi flicked from page to page: one page had a tiger, then an eagle, a dragon, and scales. Even though they were glimpses under a millisecond, Eli loved the drawings Nozomi did in the sketchbook she had bought her for their anniversary last year.  
  
“It was such a beautiful scene, that It inspired me to draw this. If I can find it, of course! There’s so many sketches and drawings in here for clients, but this is the book I always keep with me on the go s- Ah hah! Here it is,” Nozomi’s eyes lit up as she stopped on a page, and then flashed a grin at Eli.  
  
She slowly turned the sketchbook around, and Eli’s jaw dropped.  
  
The A4 page depicted a predominantly greyscale sketch of a circular garden. An array of flower were spread from one side of the page to another, but the floweres weren’t their usual soft texture: it was a solid, see-through, consistent texture, and the only colours were the shine on the sides of the flowers. Roses, gardenias, tulips, daisies, orchids, every type of flower Eli could think of was in this picture. The circular formation surrounded a swing set placed in the middle of the garden; the chains were wrapped in vines of ivy.  
  
A garden of glass.  
  
“N-Nozomi,” Eli’s eyes took in every single detail, from the lines on the leaves to the metallic sheen of the ivy-covered swing in the centre.  
  
“This is just a rough sketch, to be honest,” Nozomi admitted sheepishly, lowering her head into her neck so that her shoulders stood out a bit more.  
  
“I would like to get this on canvas to hang up somewhere, but before I do that, I’ll need to _properly_ sit down and do a final design that’s better than this, bu-”  
  
She didn’t finish her sentence, because Eli leaned across the table and locked let lips with Nozomi’s.   
  
The artist gasped, but gave herself over instantly as Eli’s tongue slipped into her mouth quickly. When Eli pulled away to breathe, she rested her forehead lightly against Nozomi’s, eyes half-lidded.  
  
“It’s so beautiful, Nozomi,” She grinned, staring into the emerald abyss of Nozomi’s eyes.  
  
“Happy Valentine’s day, Elichi,” Nozomi whispered, then captured Eli’s lips again with her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> De de deeee~
> 
> *Also, Pirozhki is lit.


	30. Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreaming - Blondie

“…Are you _sure_ you’re not intoxicated?”  
  
“Perfectly sure. Trust me, this is the _last_ thing I want to be doing today.”  
  
“Yet here you are, ready to get a n-nipple piercing,” Umi’s piercing eyebrow twitched to coincide with her stutter.  
  
Currently on her piercing bed was a woman with straight black hair and a scowl on her face. In the corner, stifling a grin, was a rather pretty woman with brown hair and pierced ears.  
  
“She’s a woman of her word, after-all.”  
  
“Are you _totally_ sure you want to see this?” Umi turned to face the giggling woman, who was doing her best to stay out of the way but also trying to get a good view. There was a hint of mischievous excitement in her eyes.  
  
“T-Totally! Sora lost the bet, so she needs to get her nipples pierced!”  
  
“I’d much rather you _not_ be here for this, Eriko,” the woman on the bed snapped. Umi fondled awkwardly at the hem of her black t-shirt and hummed.  
  
“Y-You’re _sure_ you want the nipples pierced? Not an ear or eyebrow?”  
  
“It _has_ to be the nipples.”  
  
A pierced eyebrow was raised again.  
  
“ _Both_ nipples.”  
  
Umi pulled her lips together tightly as the giggling woman flashed a form.  
  
“She signed the forms, and everything is ready, so let’s get piercing!”  
  
_‘So much for a relaxing day-after-Valentine’s-day,’_ Umi mumbled, pulling on her gloves and reluctantly getting to work.  


* * *

  
  
“I’m just looking at Umi-senpai’s schedule at the moment, and it looks like her earliest availability is next Tuesday…Her days off are Sunday and Monday…Yep, I’ll lock that in for you now! We’ll see you then!” Rin hung up the phone and sighed.  
  
Fridays were normally rather slow, save for the occasional walk-ins. Since Fridays were also Nozomi’s days off, and Rin was not allowed to do a proper tattoo, she’d be at the reception: taking appointments and sorting out back office things, as well as continuing to practice on the pigskin at one of the stations.   
  
Rin had overcome her squeamishness towards the fake skin, and was currently working on more difficult, but one of the most common tattoo designs: flowers.  
  
_‘Rin-chan, let me tell you right now, that If you want to be a tattoo artist, you’re going to have to be able to draw and tattoo a_ lot  _of flowers.’  
_  
Nozomi’s words echoed in her head as the orange-haired apprentice walked away from the counter and sat back at her station with the tattoo machine slowly tracing over a rose stencil.  
  
The store phone was clipped onto her belt, since Umi was currently with a client, and the pedal was on standby to switch off if the phone rang.  
  
There was a sudden squeal of agony that came from the piercing room, followed by a howl of manic laughter. Rin knew that two women were in there, plus Umi, but she had no idea what was going on. All she really knew was that one looked extremely reluctant, and the other was practically glowing with glee.  
  
“Umi-senpai isn’t _that_ harsh,” Rin mused out loud as she cleaned off the excess ink off of the pig skin.  
  
She wasn’t able to continue, because the phone rang. Rin carefully turned off the machine and placed it down carefully, before proceeding to answer phone.  
  
“Gooooood afternoon! Lily White Body Art! This is Rin speaking!” She was always cheery when she answered the phone, in comparison to Umi’s low monotone voice, and Nozomi’s cheeky remarks.  
  
“Hello, is the owner of the establishment present?”  
  
“No, sorry, today is her day off. She’ll be back in on Sunday, however.”  
  
There was silence from the other end, and Rin bit her lip.  
  
“Um…Hello?”  
  
“Yes, I am still here. Sorry about that…Would you mind taking a message for the owner please?”  
  
“Of course, just gimme a sec,” Rin placed the phone in the crook of her neck, using her left shoulder to hold the device to her pierced ear. She then picked up a pencil from her station and a piece of tracing paper.  
  
“Okay, what would you like me to pass on?” Rin leaned against her cabinet of ink to take the details.  
  
“First, I will leave you my contact number. It is as follows,”  
  
Rin jotted down the number and the name of the woman: Anju.  
  
“And here is the message: If the owner of _Lily White Body Art_ does not call me back before 5pm on Monday, I will close down the business.”  
  
Rin’s heart stopped. She froze completely as her blood ran cold.  
  
“O-okay, I’ll let her know.”  
  
“Thank you, Rin-san. Have a nice day,”  
  
The caller hung up, and Rin was left in her new-marble state, save for her short and shallow breaths. Without thinking, the apprentice scrambled to her feet and dashed into the break room to call Nozomi.

* * *

“Close down the business?” Nozomi’s voice was surprisingly calm over the phone, and it was making Rin even _more_ anxious.

“Y-Yes! I don’t really know how or what happened by the lady said if you don’t call 'em by Monday we’ll be done for!”  
  
“Rin-chan, I need you to calm down,” Nozomi lay in her bed, ear to her mobile phone as Eli idly played with her hair. However, upon hearing the news, she stopped instantly.  
  
“I will call them first thing Monday morning. I doubt that type of business will be open on the weekends,” Nozomi stared at the ceiling, her vision going out of focus.  
  
“Don’t worry, Rin-chan. This is for me to deal with.”  
  
“B-But Nozomi-sen-”  
  
“Rin-chan,” The tattoo artist cut of her apprentice in a slow voice. There was a groan from Rin.  
  
“Urgh, _fine!_ But if I show up to work on Monday in a state of panic, you’ll know why!”  
  
“Understandable, just leave this matter for me to handle. Keep working on your pigskin practice. If anyone wants a small tattoo on Saturday, you may do them.”  
  
“Wait, _What?!_ ”  
  
“I trust you, Rin-chan. If the tattoo is no bigger than the legal requirement for you, then by all means, tattoo away, my young Padawan.”  
  
“…Okay…”  
  
“Have faith in yourself, Rin-chan,” Nozomi grinned, and hung up. She turned her emerald gaze to the worried sapphire, and smiled.  
  
“ _You_ shouldn’t worry either,” Nozomi lightly tapped the pad of her right first finger to Eli’s nose. The blonde pouted, not convinced.  
  
“That’s like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking.”  
  
“Hmm, maybe, but regardless, please leave me to sort this out. It’s my store, afterall.”  
  
Eli let out a huff, and rested her head on Nozomi’s chest, covering up the owl holding the tarot card.

* * *

Later that night, when Eli was sound asleep, Nozomi reached over for her set of tarot cards and decided to draw. The moon hung proudly in the sky, with its beams filtering through the window effortlessly.    
  
The artist drew the first card: The Hierophant

 _‘Hmm,’_ Nozomi placed It on her left knee before drawing again. She instantly knew what it meant: A large corporation with strict requirements, a symbol of knowledge.  
  
_‘I don’t work for a large corporation,’_ She thought before drawing another card:

Death. She couldn’t help but laugh.  
  
_‘You’d think I’d_ know _change when I see it,’_ Nozomi placed that card on the mattress in front of her, and got ready to draw again.  
  
The Tower.  
  
Nozomi bit her lip, she didn’t want to know what was happening, but she couldn’t help dwelling on it. The artist didn’t particularly hate any of her cards, but The Tower was one she didn’t particularly like to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't bet with Pile - your nipples will get pierced. 
> 
> Also thanks for the kudos and comments!


	31. Start The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Start The Fire - No Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I normally try to update this work every *Sunday (on the lord's day because I like to sin,) but I'm gonna be flat out all of next week, so here's a phresh new chapter a wee bit early. 
> 
> *My Sunday, I live in Australia ',:)

Nozomi practically skipped to work with a smile on her face. She unlocked the store, disarmed the alarm, and took a seat at her desk in the breakroom.  
  
Like clockwork, she pulled out her sketchbook and turned to her latest design: A drawing of _Storm_ from _X-Men_.  
  
She glanced over the drawing: sure, she wasn’t a comic book illustrator, but she thought that the design of the mutant was rather good. Then again, it would be up to her client if they liked it or not.  
  
_‘Now, to call back this number,’_ Nozomi glanced at the clock: 10:55am. Yep, that seemed a reasonable time to make the phone call. Nozomi kicked back the chair and got to her feet, and began the rather quick journey to the floor for the store phone.  
  
Rin had left the name and number on the counter for Nozomi to call. She was a very considerate apprentice, after all. Nozomi tapped the number into the phone and leaned against the counter as the ringing began.  
  
“A-Rise Retail Management.”  
  
“Ah, Hello! My name is Toujou Nozomi, I’m the owner of _Lily White Body Art._ I believe you asked for me on Friday?” The tattooist put on her phone voice.  
  
There was a silence for a few seconds, but then the voice spoke.  
  
“Yes, I did, Toujou-san. My name is Anju, and I work for the company that manages your store’s profits.”  
  
“Indeed you do,”  
  
“Great. I just wanted to discuss with you a matter that has come up.”  
  
Nozomi raised an eyebrow, and decided to pull out a piece of paper and pen to note down what would come next.  
  
“Do tell.”  
  
“Now, you’ll have to forgive me because I am not too familiar with the world of tattooing, but I believe that an issue has arisen in regard to your apprentice.”  
  
“Rin-chan?” Nozomi bit her lip and glanced around the store. _Surely_ Rin hadn’t done anything that would cause this? There was no physical evidence of anything that could be out of place.  
  
“According to these records, Hoshizora-san has been your apprentice for nearly three months, correct?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“And has she been under your supervision for that period of time?”  
  
“Not be rude, Anju-san, but the progress of my apprentice is _nothing_ to do with the management of the store,” Nozomi’s voice was going lower in pitch, but she tried her best to keep her cool.  
  
“Oh I know, but there has been a _legal_ issue raised due to something to do with Hoshizora-san. I was just calling to let you know that the matter would be easier to discuss face to face with me and your landlord, it will tie into the inspection we planned.”  
  
“If you just wanted to organize this, why threaten to close down my parlour?” Nozomi’s patience was waring rather thin as her free hand gripped the counter top tightly.  
  
“Some owners do not respond to these calls. Sometimes, a threat is the only way to get them. Now, would you be free tomorrow afternoon?”  
  
The green-eyed artist’s face was now just a scowl. She pressed her finger to the power button on her computer, and loaded up her schedule.  
  
“The studio opens at 11am, and I don’t have any clients until 2pm. Does 12 suit?”  
  
“Perfect. I will be down with the landlord, Minami-san. Is that okay?”  
  
“It’s fine. Are you going to tell me this legal issue now?” Nozomi articulated her works more harshly. This was _not_ a good way to start a Monday.  
  
“It’s an issue regarding your apprentice. It seems that a rule has been broken, is all.”  
  
“Excuse me?” The artist felt her blood run cold.  
  
“Peering at the online information sent in to us, it shows that you did not sign the bottom of the form regarding a small tattoo done on the neck of a client. You did not authorise permission for the tattoo to go ahead, and yet it was completed.”  
  
Nozomi’s heart stopped. It was as if time froze. Her eyes went wide as she felt her blood run cold.  
  
“According the laws of body modifications; Chapter 13, paragraph 7, line 2, _For an apprentice to perform a legal tattoo, a licensed professional tattoo artist_ must _sign the bottom of the legal form._ Toujou-san, it seems that you did _not_ sign that form.”  
  
The woman’s voice was just fading away, as if someone was turning the volume down on an mp3 player. Nozomi’s vision was also fading, so badly that she could barely see the bright crop of orange hair skip into the store.  
  
“And because of this, someone is also taking this case to court for incompetency and illegal actions, a businessman by the name of Toujou Osamu.”  
  
The phone fell to the ground with a crash, and Nozomi felt her chest tighten immediately. Her throat clenched up, her body went numb to the point that she couldn’t feel Rin’s touch on her shoulder.

* * *

“ _Bibi Flowers,_ Eli speaking.”  
  
“Ah, Eli! It’s Yoshino.”  
  
“Yoshino-san! Good morning, how can I help you?”  
  
“I was just wondering if I could enquire about my order?”  
  
“Sure thing,” Eli quickly entered her reserve screen on the register and scrolled down to see the name of the customer.  
  
“Yep, it’s still there. We’re getting a shipment in of flours on Thursday, which we will use for your bouquets. They’ll be ready Friday morning, which is normally my day off, so Nico or Maki will give you a hand.”  
  
Nico emerged from the backroom, carrying a stack of plastic pots for the new flower seeds she was about to grow. It was Nico’s idea to plant new Barberton daisies, and Eli allowed her to do so.   
  
“That sounds great, and I can pay the rest off then?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Great! Thank you, Eli!”  
  
“Not a problem, see you,” Eli smiled, and hung up the phone. Although the blonde was putting on a brave face and going about her day as if nothing was wrong, she couldn’t pop the bubble of anxiety in her stomach.  
  
“Hey, everything alright with you?” The blonde felt Nico’s gaze linger upon her, and she shook her head.  
  
“Nozomi needs puppy training, again.”  
  
“How so?” Nico’s confused face Eli let out a puff of air from her nose with a tiny grin.  
  
“She _insists_ that I don’t worry, but it’s not something I can help.”  
  
“Oh boy, do I know _that._ Remember when she went out one night with her friends from fine arts and told us not to worry? She ended up at some uni party an hour out of Tokyo!”  
  
“Don’t remind me,” Eli let out a gruff chuckle.  
  
The two couldn’t help but laugh over the memory, but they didn’t hear the door open.  
  
“Excuse me, Eli, Nico,”  
  
The polite voice made Eli snap up instantly. There stood Umi, hair tied back and chewing on her snakebite nervously.  
  
“Hey Umi, what can I help you with?” Eli grinned, but the piercer didn’t return it. She stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets.  
  
“We got some bad news at the studio. Nozomi’s in trouble.”  
  
“Well, speak of the devil,” Nico nudged Eli’s side, but immediately drew herself back as her boss’s face fell.  


* * *

“You _sure_ you’ll be okay by yourself? We can call Maki in,” Eli threw on her coat as Nico shook her head.

“Eli, two people have come in all day: one of them was Umi,” Nico jerked her head towards the body piercer that was standing by the door, a phone was held up to her heavily pierced ear.  
  
“I’ll try not be too long,” Eli nodded at Nico, and then briskly walked to the door.  
  
“Let’s go,” She looked at Umi, who nodded and waved Nico goodbye.  
  
The harsh winter wind hit the florist in the face as she left the comfort of her heated store. She had never really appreciated that particular perk of her job once she let out a grumble and stuffed her chin deeper into her coat’s collar. Umi was already briskly walking to a _Fiat_ parked just a bit further down the street from them.  
  
“Kotori didn’t drive to work today?” Eli quickly recognised the number plate instantly. Umi practically threw the door open to the driver’s seat, in comparison to Eli – while she was worried about Nozomi, she did not have any intention to break Kotori’s car.  
  
“I dropped her off this morning,” Umi’s flat yet hasty answer met her once she slid into the passenger seat.  
  
“C’mon, we have to get to the studio.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kotori’s car is the fiat 500 in mint green.
> 
> Shit's gonna hit the fan. #Pray4LilyWhite


	32. Ruumiinmultaa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another early update because this Sunday will be The Worst™ 
> 
> Ruumiinmultaa – Korpiklaani (if you ever want some Finnish folk metal, check Korpiklaani out.)

Although Umi  _ did  _ have her driver’s licence, it didn’t mean she liked to pursue the activity. It made her nervous, and Eli had a vivid memory of Umi having a near panic attack a few years ago when they were stuck in traffic on a road trip from Tokyo to Nagoya.

Needless to say that Eli was slightly fearing for her life as Umi dashed zoomed through the traffic to get to  _ Lily White. _

“So are you going to tell me what happened, or will I die in a car crash not knowing?” Eli gripped onto the handle above the door for dear life as Umi narrowly missed a red light.

“A legal matter.”

“A what?”

Umi karate-chopped the indicator down and swerved violently into the right-hand lane.

“So, you know how Hanayo got that tattoo, and how Rin was the one who actually did it? For an apprentice to do a tattoo on a real client, there’s a few forms that have to be signed by the tattoo master.”

Umi chewed on her snakebite again as she revved through another yellow light.

“Nozomi…didn’t sign the forms.”

Eli’s heart dropped into her stomach, just as Umi nearly rolled the car into a parking spot outside of the studio. The two got out of the car and headed to the glass doors of the shop, a pit of anxiety swirling in both of their stomachs.

 

* * *

 

 

When Eli pushed the studio’s door open, a wave of despair crashed over her. The entire interior of the place looked completely normal, but there was an aura of despair that seeped through. Rin was leaning against the corner, her head in her hands.

“Oh no,” Umi walked right up to the apprentice and placed a hand on her shoulder. Eli could practically feel the girl’s sorrow radiating throughout the studio, that seemed darker for some reason. The florist noticed that none of the stations were set up, and the lilies on the counter were on the verge of death. It was taking all of her self-restraint to  _ not  _ tend to them. There were more important things than looking after flowers at the current time.

“Rin, calm down. This is all fixable, I hope,” the final part of Umi’s sentence wavered as the ginger’s head snapped up. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and there was snot trickling out of her nostril like a broken tap.

“How could I be so stupid?! I fucked up!” Her normally energetic yet smooth voice was shaking furiously, and her knuckles turned white against the counter. Umi continued to rub the apprentice’s back as she softly spoke over the wailing that had started up again.

“We’re going to sort this out, maybe you’ll just get a warning or something, but we  _ will  _ deal with this mess, just stay calm,”

“Rin, it was a really good tattoo,” Eli offered, but that swirling black hole of anxiety was something she couldn’t shake. Rin’s hysterics continued as Eli’s eyes lingered on the breakroom door, that was currently shut.

“You better go see her,” Umi followed Eli’s gaze and urged her on.

“I’ll take care of Rin.”

The blonde nodded, and strode off towards the door.

 

* * *

 

The break room door was actually hand painted by Nozomi herself: it features a renaissance-style piece of blue skies with clouds, and an angel holding a telescope of some kind. The expression on the angel’s face was as though she was swooning over something.

_ ‘It’s a pure love lens,’  _ Nozomi had told Eli, as she sat cross-legged on the ground with her acrylic paints in hand two years ago, painting at a leisurely pace.

Sure enough, that was  _ not  _ the feeling Eli was getting from the door today.

She knocked lightly on the angel’s wing, calling out her girlfriend’s name as she did so.

When there was no response, the florist lightly pushed on the door, causing it to open. Eli took a deep breath, and entered.

There, sitting at the desk with stacks of papers, was Nozomi. She looked a real mess: Her eyes were also red and irritated, and her hands were shaking as she rearranged the stack on her left.

Eli ran forward and grabbed Nozomi’s hands.

“We messed up, Elichi,” was the croak of a response to the action. Eli sighed and tried to force Nozomi to look at her. She wasn’t even going to snap at her for the real cigarette that was in the corner of her mouth.

“It was  _ one  _ form?” Eli perched herself on the edge of the desk, staring at the flowers on Nozomi’s left arm.

“One. Normally, this wouldn’t be too much of an issue, but  _ he’s  _ taking this to court.” Nozomi practically spat out the last part as she took out a small lot of papers and threw them down onto her desk. She began sifting through with a heavy frown on her face. Eli hated seeing Nozomi angry. It was incredibly rare and disturbing.

“How did he even find out?!” Eli instantly knew who  _ he  _ was.

“The daily reports, Eli. We send them off to the business management to show proof of our sales,” Nozomi answered almost instantly, skimming the papers so quickly and shoving them aside.

“But  _ surely  _ they’d overlook this!” Eli’s voice rose in panic, and she jumped back when Nozomi slammed her fists onto the table. Papers went flying.

“It’s Rin’s first tattoo! How could they overlook this mistake?! It’s like selling alcohol to a minor!” She looked her girlfriend dead in the eye and grit her teeth. It was such a simple mistake, such an easy screw up, and she was getting the cane for it.

“Normally you’d just get a fine for that sort of thing, wouldn’t you?!” Eli could feel all humanity leave the room. Normally, if one of them was in a panic, the other would calm them down: they worked together like that. They were both riddled with anxiety at that present moment, there was no proper support, and they were going to snap.

“You’re correct on that one, but-”

Nozomi didn’t have time to finish her sentence, because Umi came into the break room with store phone in her hand.

“Nozomi, I know this is a  _ really  _ bad time to ask, but can you do any tattoos today?”

The look the artist gave the piercer could’ve killed her three times over.

“No.” 

“What?!” Umi nearly dropped the phone as Nozomi stood up from her desk. Her twin-tails sparked upwards with the motion.

“Umi, we’re shutting the store for today. Neither me or Rin will be doing  _ any  _ tattoos until this mess is sorted out.”

“But-”

“No buts, Umi,” Nozomi snapped, staring daggers at the blue-haired girl.

“My father is trying to take this matter to court for illegal activity within the workforce. His witness is Mrs. Minami: our new landlord.”

Umi and Eli looked at each other with gaping mouths. Nozomi hung her head and let out a shaky sigh.

“I know it’s what he wants. He wants me to stop, and this issue will get worse if I tattoo anyone while it unfolds. You can still pierce if you want, though, just double – no –  _ triple  _ check the forms you give your clients.”

“Bu-”

“UMI!” Nozomi slammed her hands down on the desk, making the wooden structure shake uneasily. Eli and Umi both jumped, and the latter even took a step back, raising her hands in a manner of self defence.

“For once in your life,  _ please  _ know when to stop talking,” Nozomi’s voice was now dangerously soft. Her breathing was becoming heavier by the second as she let her head fall into her chest again.

“I’m closing for today, everyone needs to leave.”

“What about your client for 1pm?”

Nozomi lifted her head and extended a hand.

“Please give me the phone.”

Umi looked down at the phone, noticing the caller on the other end had hung up, probably due to the fiasco happening inside the store, and passed it over to the owner.

“I’m going to post-pone it.”

* * *

The door to  _ Lily White  _ was shut half an hour later. Nozomi locked it with her keys, then leaned her head against the door, letting out another sigh.

“How could I be so stupid,” she muttered, closing her eyes and letting her breath fog up the glass door. Eli, who was standing next to her, placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, you’re not stupid,” her voice was soft, but wavered as she was trying her best to not let that familiar black pit of anxiety engulf her again. Nozomi was broken, it was evident everywhere, and Eli had to do her best to shake her own worries away to help her soulmate. The temperature must have dropped even more as they turned around to face the street. Some people in the shop opposite them were staring intently at the eclectic group: three pierced women and a blonde.

“Rin, is Hanayo working today?” Umi had her arm around the apprentice’s shoulder. She had not stopped crying at all, and was only able to nod.

“Did you want a lift anywhere?”

Another nod, and Umi gave a small smile and unlocked the fiat again.

“Eli, Nozomi, would you like a lift home too?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll walk home,” Nozomi’s monotone mumble came with a weak wave. Eli looked sadly at the broken woman next to her, and Umi let out a sigh.

“Eli, are you heading back to work?”

“No, I’ll stay with Nozo-”

“Go to work, Elichi.”

“Excuse me?!” Eli took a step back to look at Nozomi. She clenched her fists and scowled.

“You are in _ no _ state to be by yourself! Nico can handle the store by herself,”

“Elichi, just…leave me be, please,” Nozomi turned to face the blonde with a sad smile twitching at her lips.

“Is Maki-chan working today?”

“No, it’s her day off – why would you go talk to  _ Maki  _ instead of me?!” Eli’s fists started shaking, but Nozomi shook her head.

“It’s not that, I just need her to recommend me a lawyer…” Nozomi’s emerald gaze turned to the ground as her own fists clenched.

“I need to be prepared. Who  _ knows  _ what he’ll try to do.”

Umi nodded.

“Maki’s family owns a large business themselves, so they must have a rather large legal team, perhaps they could help us out?”

“I doubt she’d say no,” Eli tucked a loose stray of blonde hair behind her ear, and bit her lip.

“I’ll call mum to let her know that I’ll won’t be taking Alisa to ballet…I’ll come straight home,” Eli took out her phone and tapped at the screen quickly.

“Here, I texted you Maki’s number. Give her a call, and let me know when you come home, okay?” The blonde then put her phone back in her pocket, and cupped Nozomi’s cheek lightly.

“Just  _ please  _ take care of yourself, and don’t try to kill anyone with your tattoo gun,” She placed a kiss on the other cheek, and drew back to walk down the road, pulling out her phone again and placing it to her ear.

Nozomi dipped her head.

“It’s a tattoo machine, not a gun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone give Nozomi a snickers and let's all #Pray4Umi
> 
> *NEVER call a tattoo machine a ‘tattoo gun.’ You’ll get the dirtiest look from the artist.


	33. Take Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take Flight - Lindsey Stirling.
> 
> Might update later in the week, actually getting ready for another tattoo myself :D

“Hello?”

“Maki-chan, it’s Nozomi. Elichi gave me your number,” Nozomi sat in a little café called _Floating Heart_ , a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other up to her ear.

“Oh, hey Nozomi. What’s up?”

“Not much, just in need of a lawyer”

Spluttering noises sounded from the other end of the call.

“Eh?! A lawyer?!”

“Yes, a lawyer. I’m calling because I need you to recommend me a lawyer, preferably one with knowledge of the workforce.”

“Whoa Nozomi! Slow down!”

Nozomi tapped the excess off her cigarette into the ashtray and sharply exhaled from her nostrils.

“Maki-chan, if my father is taking me to court, I'll need a decent lawyer. Seeing as your family owns a hospital, you _must_ have _some_ form of a connection to the administration.”

“Y-Yeah, bu-”

“Fantastic, please send me through their details as soon as possible. Preferably before tomorrow.”

“Nozomi! Slow the hell down!” Maki seemed to be struggling, but Nozomi didn’t care in the slightest. She needed this sorted out ASAP. She had dealt with her father making petty attempts to mess with her business, but he didn’t have any ground – any evidence – until now. This simple, stupid mistake, plus his power, money, influence and resources, would surely send Nozomi’s studio crashing into the ground, and she could kiss her job, and stability, goodbye.

The artist clenched her fists and stared at the herbal tea in front of her, knowing she’d have to explain to Maki why she was obnoxiously demanding contact information from her, but time would not be on her side for this.

“Maki, listen to me,” Nozomi dropped the honorific, lowered her voice and exhaled smoke from her nostrils.

“The chances I have of winning this court case are already slim enough as it is. I _need_ a good – no, _perfect_ – lawyer to help me. If the studio shuts down over this, we’ll all be out of a job. I _really_ need your help on this one.”

There was silence, save for the hum of the small café. The waitress in the corner was looking awkwardly at Nozomi, then turned around to sip on her water bottle.

“Okay, fine,” came the shaky response from Maki, and Nozomi relaxed visibly.

“Just…Just gimme an hour to get some contacts, then I’ll text ‘em through.”

“Thank you, Maki-chan,” Nozomi grinned, and hung up.

With another sigh, she put down her phone and picked up her tea, which was now cold. She could _still_ feel that waitress’s eyes on her.

Nozomi grit her teeth. It was a bad day, and the last thing she wanted was some person staring at her. With all the restraint she had, the artist picked up her cold tea, sculled it down, then stood up and left her money on the table.

* * *

 

Upon dropping Rin back at her apartment, Umi headed home, not even listening to the music she was playing. In her mind, it was just white noise. It was ridiculous how this was happening – ridiculous how they could forget such a simple thing – ridiculous how this tiny issue was being blown up.

 _‘Dammit, Nozomi!’_ Umi thought as she pulled the car into a spot outside of her flat, and turned off the ignition. She didn’t get out of the car, but sat there, staring at the emblem fixed into the wheel. Everything was snowballing, and the piercer could only _imagine_ what would happen next.

When Umi _finally_ removed her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, she remembered the sudden change in Nozomi and Rin: both were _surely_ nervous as to what would happen, even though Nozomi seemed to be more annoyed than nervous. However, Umi had worked with Nozomi for a long time now, and she knew her boss.

What she didn’t know, however, was how she would go about getting legal help.

Nozomi was patient with clients, she knew how to deal with people in her _own_ environment. She was a master of giving off a calm aura, being able to soothe her clients when they were under the needle – not to mention how she lived with the tall blonde bundle of nerves that was Eli. The tattoo artist was also charismatic and exceedingly charming, hence why she was so popular with tourist and always built relationships with clients quickly.

But when it came to her own personal struggles, _that_ was a different story.

Nozomi might be knowledgeable about her store, she may even be a very intelligent businesswoman, but when legal matters were brought down on her, she’d crack. Sure, Umi had seen Nozomi deal with angry customers and business people with a rather calm demeanour, and she knew _exactly_ why they were frustrated, but the second she was done with them, she’d be out the door with a cigarette in her lips and shaking hands. Nozomi did not deal with _those_ kinds of scenarios too well. She’d slowly lose her cool, and her charm would shatter as easily as glass falling from a table.

Umi was yanked out of her thoughts when her phone in her pocket vibrated. She let out a little noise, then took her phone and looked at the screen.

“Hey, Kotori,” Umi greeted her fiancé while she walked inside.

“Umi-chan! Are you okay?! I heard the news,”

“I’m not one hundred percent, but we’ll see what happens,” Umi turned the keys and entered the strange flat.

“Did you call your mum?”

There was silence, and Umi had to check to make sure the line didn’t cut out.

“Kotori?”

“Umi-chan, my mother is _helping_ the court case against you.”

“What?!” Umi nearly tripped on the stairs down the living area at her fiance’s words.

“She…she _hates_ my tattoo, and she hates that I did it, even though she said I could!”

“I don’t understand…” Umi started to pace around the living room, making sure she didn’t trip over the controllers to Honoka’s _Playstation 3_.

“Neither do I! Apparently she hates it and only said she wouldn’t mind if I got it as a joke! She didn’t think I’d go through it! ‘Kotori,’ she said, ‘You couldn’t even decide on what hairstyle to wear for high school, I doubted you would actually get something permanent on your body.’ I can’t believe her!”

Umi’s head was swimming as Kotori continued to panic.

“The second she checked the reports from the studio, she sent them off to Nozomi’s father, and apparently they’re going to team up on the court case!”

“Oh, shit…” Umi swore and shoved her other hand deep into her jeans pocket.

“ _That_ type of influence would ruin us.”

There was silence again for a few seconds, and then Kotori’s breath hitched.

“Oh, Kotori,” Umi soothed, sitting down on their couch and lowering her voice, she could hear the crying on the other end of the phone.

“It’s…It’s going to be okay.”

“No it’s _not!_ Umi-chan, my mother is going to ruin your business!”

“She will not,” The piercer was confused as to why she was suddenly so calm all of a sudden. She was practically hyperventilating upon receiving the call from Rin that morning, and could not stop shaking as she got into the car to collect Eli.

“Nozomi is apparently talking to Maki in order to grab a lawyer.

“It’s _definitely_ going to court?!”

“We don’t know,” Umi’s voice grew shaky, and she stared down at the koi fish on her left forearm, as if it would somehow magically come to life and calm her nerves.

“We’re just getting prepared for the worst.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are welcome. Remember to #Pray4Umi
> 
> If we all chipped in, do you reckon we could get Nozzy Osborne that snickers?


	34. Reptilia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reptilia - The Strokes

It was weird to think only a few weeks ago on a Tuesday, Nozomi didn’t a problem in the world. Everything was fine; she was teaching her apprentice, her business was doing well, and was still living with her soulmate.

So there she was, on a Tuesday morning, wearing a three-quarter white shirt with a purple pullover vest, standing at the counter with eagle eyes. She observed her store, making sure not a single thing was out of place for when the women from the business management company. Nozomi was used to this sort of inspection, but not on  _ this  _ scale.

Umi was currently in her piercing room, cleaning the sink for the umpteenth time. Both knew that the store had to be absolutely immaculate for the corporate bodies. They had two rather large targets on their backs: the first being that silly mistake, and the second being the fact that their business was indeed a body art studio. It was frowned upon, the media didn’t do a very good job representing their professions, and neither did the tattooed criminals or pierced delinquents. Nozomi and Umi were doing everything in their power to make sure there wasn’t a single fault in the store for their guests to pounce on.

As for Rin, Nozomi had told her to not come in today, insisting that she and Umi would handle the store inspection.

“Just show up on Wednesday when we meet the lawyer Maki-chan recommended for us,” was the only thing Nozomi required of her nervous wreck of an apprentice.

Umi emerged from the piercing room, her hair tied in a ponytail and legs exposed due to the grey skirt she wore around her waist. Her blue dress shirt was tucked in, too.

The two stared at each other, taking in their modest, normal clothing. They just burst out laughing.

“We look ridiculous,” Nozomi covered her mouth while Umi fiddled with her ears.

“The things we do for inspections, it’s like Halloween,” Umi chuckled, both were ignoring the anxious and despairing atmosphere to laugh at their own stupid humour quickly.

“We look like such nerds.” the piercer smiled while walking up to the counter to clean it again. Nozomi stroked the plait that Eli had done for her hair this morning.

“I think I’d be a fully fledged nerd if I wore the twintails.”

“Did Eli dress you as well as the hair?”

“No,” Nozomi sighed, feeling her giggles leave her system with each second.

Just as she finished her answer, the door opened, and in stepped two people. Both were female, the shorter one had burnt orange hair that curled in the front and wore a white pantsuit. The other woman was taller and older, with long dark grey hair and familiar looking eyes. Nozomi and Umi steeled themselves.

“Good morning,” the smaller woman wear white bowed politely, but there was stiffness in her voice. The artist and piercer bowed back.

“I’m Anju, and  _ you  _ must be Toujou Nozomi?,” she nodded towards the purple haired woman. Nozomi plastered a smile onto her face and nodded.

“That’s me. Toujou Nozomi, owner of  _ Lily White Body Art,  _ how do you do?”

“Fine, thank you,” Anju then gestured to the stern looking woman beside her.

“I trust you already know your landlord, Minami-san?”

“That I do,” Nozomi smiled, and Umi bowed deeply.

“Nice to see you again, Minami-san.”

“Likewise, Umi,” the woman bowed to the piercer, not even acknowledging Nozomi. The artist remembered what Umi had told her over the phone after the conversation with Kotori had panned out. There was an expression on her face that made her seem haughty, instead of her normal, calm nature Umi had always mentioned. Her voice was completely different to her daughter’s: low and clear. She looked as though there was a foul smell under nose as she landlord gazed around the studio, taking in all of the artwork and stations.

“We should get down to business,” Anju directed the women’s attention back to her. Nozomi nodded, and gestured to the breakroom.

“Of course, would you like to discuss this in my office?”

“Yes please,” The landlord’s curt response made Umi bit her lip. The two employees lead the way to the breakroom, and gestured to the chairs that they had set up around Nozomi’s desk. The four women sat down, with the landlord refusing to take her eyes off the artist. Anju reached into her handbag and pulled out a tablet.

“As you are aware, Nozomi, there has been an issue regarding your apprentice.”

“I am aware,” The owner’s response was curt. 

“Therefore, we would like to discuss the details of what will happen,” Anju tapped at the screen of her tablet.

“Feel free to stop me and ask any questions, or if you wish for me to clarify something.”

Right after the woman finished her sentence, Nozomi shot out her concern.

“I don’t understand why you would bring my father into the matter. He has  _ no  _ interest in my work. In fact, it’s safe to say he’s not a fan of my profession full stop,” She looked at her nails upon seeing Mrs Minami moving to answer.

“Upon being the landlord for your  _ studio,  _ Toujou-san, I am also in charge of one of your father’s nearby stores. I felt it was necessary to inform him.” Her voice was cold and venomous, and her posture matched. Nozomi raised an eyebrow.

“But was it really? Business reports should be kept private, as you two should both know.”

Her calm tone contrasted Mrs Minami slamming her hands down on the desk. Umi jumped at the sudden motion, but Nozomi stayed still.

“I don’t give a damn about what report should be private or not. You  _ ruined  _ my daughter’s body with your foul ink,” the hiss through gritted teeth rivalled that of an angry snake. Nozomi did not break eye contact at all, and kept herself under control.

“With all due respect, Minami-san, Kotori-chan  _ is  _ a legal adult, and able to make decisions like this for herself.”

Minami slammed her hands on the table again, shaking Nozomi’s computer and the ashtray.

“Now now, let’s be civil,”

“Toujou-san, we’d like to discuss what will happen from now on.”

“A representative from your father will be in town for the hearing, along with Minami-san. We ask that all of you staff attend the hearing, as you were all present on the day this happened. We’d also like you to bring along a lawyer.”

“Two weeks after the hearing, we will hold a court session. During this time,  _ you  _ are allowed to continue your work, but Hoshizora-san is forbidden to tattoo.”

“Understandable,” Umi fiddled with her eyebrow piercings. The mother of her fiancé cast a cold gaze at the piercer while Anju continued to speak to Nozomi.

“The hearing has been scheduled for this Friday. Does that suit?”

“Yes, that’s fine,” Nozomi’s response was synthetic: she didn’t particularly want to go to court on her day off.

“Now, let’s take a look around your studio.”

* * *

 

The immaculate studio stunk of more sanitary products than ever before. Everything was perfect down to a T: the ink bottles were in order according to colour, the stations were practically sparkling, and reflections could be seen in the tiled floor. Not a spec of dust was to be seen, and the computer contained alphabetical records of their clients. The look of shock upon Anju and Minami’s faces amused Nozomi and Umi; not many people expected a tattoo parlour to be so clean. A common stereotype that could not be more false.

“Did you draw all of these, Toujou-san?” Anju inspected the framed pictures of renaissance crosses on the wall.

“I did indeed,” Nozomi nodded, hands behind her back. Minami stormed out of the piercing room, completely livid.

“It’s spotless,” she growled, hands balled into fists. Umi’s stoic expression was broken from the tiny twinkle in her brown eyes as she exited and closed the door. Nozomi knew for a fact that her co-worker had been at the shop since 9am to completely scrub and buff her piercing room (not that it wasn’t already completely germ free.)

“I must say, Toujou-san, I wasn’t expecting your studio to be so…sanitary.”

“Well, Anju-san, I deal with bodies everyday,” Nozomi shrugged, leaning against the counter with a sense of pride.

“My studio has a hospital grade in cleanliness and sanitary, what kind of body artist would I be if I didn’t maintain that?”

Minami shot a glowering look at Nozomi, then turned to inspect the stations.

“So you can maintain a clean environment, but can’t even sign the bottom of a piece of paper?”

Nozomi’s blood ran cold at the remark; she forced her smile to her ears. To blow up at these two would only inflate their egos.

“A simple mistake that will be dealt with at the hearing, Minami-san.”

 

* * *

 

“She’s still at the shop?”

“Seems like it.”

“Are you worried?”

A perfect blonde eyebrow arched. Kotori bit her lip – it was a stupid question. Eli was currently across the road from her shop and leaning with her back against the counter of  _ Printemps Childcare Centre.  _ The sounds of children laughing and playing were coming from the pink door behind the counter, but even such a joyous noise couldn’t lift Eli’s spirits. Kotori sat at the counter, hands in her lap and avoiding eye-contact with the blonde. Both were worried for their significant others. According to Hanayo, who was currently supervising the children’s playtime, Rin was equally as worried. The pink and green pastel walls did nothing for Kotori’s mood as she slowly raised her head and let a small smile curl onto her lips.

“I bought Umi-chan’s favourite manjuu today.”

Eli hummed a response and clenched her fists. She wasn’t angry at Kotori at all – in fact, the only reason why she was in the childcare centre was to be with her until Nozomi and Umi dropped by after the inspection. Eli was angry at the fact that such a measly accident was getting pushed to unnecessary lengths.

_ ‘The  _ one  _ time they don’t do something right, and the whole world slams them for it,’  _ Eli shut her eyes and took a deep breath through her nostrils to make an attempt to calm her uncontrollable nerves.

“I told Nozomi if she wanted to borrow any of my nice shirts, but her bust wouldn’t fit.”

At this, Kotori started to laugh, and a smile cracked onto Eli’s face. It was a stupid sentence, but it broke the tension ever so slightly.

“Umi-chan looked so silly in my skirt!”

“It’s so weird to see them dressed like that, isn’t it?” Eli’s smile stayed, even as the door behind Kotori opened, and out stepped Hanayo.

“Kotori-senpai, what time Iida-san picking up Riho-chan?” The younger employee looked extremely pale, and there were prominent bags under her watery violet eyes. Clearly, she was still upset about what had happened, too.

Kotori checked the database, “She should be here around 4pm, is something wrong?”

“N-No, it’s just that Riho-chan wanted to ask her if Yurika-chan can come over for a playdate.”

“At least she’s being more social,” Kotori grinned. Hanayo nodded, then shut the door, not even acknowledging the florist.

“She worries too much,”

“Like you can talk, Eli,” Kotori’s grin never faltered.

“True,” Eli looked down at her phone, as if some magical solution from a high power would light up on the screen.  

“I’ll be back in a minute, I just need to check on Hanayo-chan,” Kotori excused herself, leaving Eli.

 

All Nozomi had told Eli was that she would meet her at  _ Printemps  _ when the inspection was finished, but that was at 7am. There had been no news from Nozomi  _ or  _ Umi, and according to Kotori, Hanayo was an hour late for work because Rin would not stop sobbing in their bed. Eli had also heard from her younger friend that Umi didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, and resorted to her panicked staring at the ceiling all night.

As for Nozomi, from what Eli recalled of the previous night, she  _ was  _ able to catch a few winks, but woke up at 2am to have an e-cigarette, seeing as Eli made her throw out the packet of cigarettes the artist had kept under her desk for a month.

_ ‘It seems like all of them are pretty badly affected by this,’  _ Eli clenched her fists as the door opened. Two women came into the centre, and shot a look at Eli.

The blonde awkwardly looked at the door to the playrooms, and bit her lip.

“Um, one of them will be out soon, I think,” she mumbled to the women, assuming their intentions was to pick up their children.

Sure enough, the pastel door opened, and out stepped Kotori, wearing an apron.

“Hello!” she chirped, moving to the front counter and smiling at the women.

Eli moved out of the way, and took a seat to the side. Time passed at a snail’s pace, and it seemed like hours until two young children came through the door behind the counter. They ran into the woman's arms, and one was scooped up by one of the women.

“Was Riho on her best behaviour today?”

“She certainly was!”

The conversation was not something Eli followed, instead she stared off into space, wondering about everything that was happening.

 

For Eli, it did feel like an eternity before the familiar hairs of blue and purple hair briskly entered the facility. Both of the women looked slightly stiff, and the piercer seemed more on edge than the tattoo artist.

“Umi-chan!” Kotori quickly got out from behind the counter and went to hug her fiancé. Eli stood up as well to greet Nozomi. The artist and piercer seemed to have switched emotions from the previous day, but Nozomi just seemed tired more than the silent anxiety Umi had possessed yesterday.

“How did the inspection go?” Eli lightly embraced Nozomi and asked the question softly. The response was a murmur into her neck.

“We passed,”

“Oh thank goodness,” Eli sighed. Kotori took Umi’s hands and gave a sad smile to match her own question.

“And what about, y’know…” Her voice trailed off, and Umi averted her eyes. Nozomi turned to the childcare worker to answer for the piercer.

“There’s a hearing on Friday.”

Kotori’s face fell, and Eli’s jaw clenched.

“Oh my, really?”

“We’re all going to see a lawyer that Maki got us tomorrow, apparently they’re skilled at dealing with workforce related issues,” Umi spoke in a rather soft voice, and there was a sudden burst of laughter from the children in the classroom. Eli ignored this, turning back to Nozomi.

“Do you reckon they’ll be good enough?”

Nozomi shrugged.

“We’ll find out tomorrow.”

The artist then got out of the florist’s embrace, and sent a wry grin towards the childcare worker.

“Kotori-chan, with all due respect, your mother wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.”

Kotori dipped her head and brought her knees together. Umi shot a glare at Nozomi as Kotori voiced an apology.

“I’m so sorry”

Nozomi waved a hand, a grin forming on her face.

“It’s not your fault, but there  _ is  _ something I’d appreciate your help with,” she took a step forward and pulled out her phone.

“Can you get me your mother’s email address? I need to send through some paperwork, and she stormed out of my studio before I could as her for it.”   
Kotori bit her lip, and pulled out her own phone from her pocket. She quickly tapped out a message and sent it to Nozomi. 

“There you go,”

“Much obliged,” The artist smiled and pocketed her phone, then clapped her hands together with a small quirk of her lip. 

“Now, if you would all excuse me, I simply  _ must  _ have some form of fake nicotine,”   
Eli bit her tongue: at least it wasn’t a  _ real  _ cigarette. Umi fidgeted awkwardly with the hem of her skirt, and Kotori smiled.

“Are you going to head home?”

The piercer only nodded, but turned when the door opened. As Nozomi was leaving to step outside, another woman was entering the centre. Nozomi politely stepped aside and held the door open. The woman, rugged up in what seemed to be an overpriced cardigan, ignored the gesture with a look of disgust. 

While Nozomi may not have noticed, the other three women did. Eli was about to open her mouth, but Kotori shot her a look that instantly told her to back down. The blonde bit her lip, then stormed out of the centre to follow Nozomi. The  _ last  _ thing Nozomi needed was the opinion of some stranger. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #Pray4everyone tbh 
> 
> Comments are welcome, and feel free to chat to me on tumblr if you want to join me in the seventh layer of tattoo hell.


	35. Rainy＊Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily White meet their saving grace (?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to dedicate this chapter to two people: The first is my gr8 m8 Rasadad (@space-cowboi on tumblr,) just as a thank you for the chats and legal advice! (I’m a musician who doesn’t know jack-shit about law,) And @68bears on tumblr, for the insanely amazing doodles! 
> 
> Rainy＊flower - Nitta Emi

There was a knock on the door at precisely 10:25am. Nozomi stood up and from the table to open it, but her walk was more of a trudge.  
  
On the other side of the door stood Umi, wearing a very familiar blue collared shirt with a black blazer. Her hair was tied back, and her septum piercing was obviously turned up into her nose. Her snakebite and eyebrow jewellery stayed, but the studs were smaller and usual, and her earlobe disks were a plain silver.  
  
“You scrubbed up, Umi-chan,” Nozomi smiled, remembering the[ first time she had seen Umi in that exact outfit](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6332293) \- the only difference was Umi had taken out _all_ of her piercings when they first met.   
  
The blue-haired girl shrugged, “Might as well look respectable for the lawyer,” she then eyes Nozomi’s own outfit- A black dress with a leather jacket.   
  
“Better safe than sorry, I guess,” Nozomi shrugged and stuck the e-cigarette behind her ear.  
  
“Did you want to come in? Or are we heading off right away?”  
  
“The latter,” Umi stepped aside with her hands in her pockets. Nozomi chuckled, knowing how organised Umi liked to be. She put on her shoes and picked up her bag, then left the apartment and locked the door behind her.

“We’re going to pick up Rin too,” Umi took the keys out of her pocket and lead the way down to that familiar green _Fiat_ that was parked in front of the apartment.  
  
Nozomi pushed the yearning to drive out of her system and plastered a smile onto her face.  
  
“You’re not going to kill me, are you?” Nozomi slid into the front passenger seat and buckled up. Umi sighed, starting the engine and indicating to get out of her spot.  
  
“Eli and I were in a rush, that’s all,”  
  
“That’s no need to imitate some _Fast and Furious_ movie though, Umi-chan. Poor Elichi was as white as a sheet when she recounted the event to me,” Nozomi rested her elbow against the window, and placed her cheek in her left palm. Umi turned a bright red as she accelerated carefully.  


* * *

  
  
The artist and piercer soon pulled up the front of Rin’s flat that she shared with Hanayo and Maki. Umi parked carefully, then shut off the engine.  
  
When Nozomi knocked on the door, the person who answered was Hanayo. She was wearing a green apron and holding a spoon in her hand. Upon realising what today was for Rin, her violet eyes turned into dish plates, and she bolted back into their bedroom.  
  
“Rin-chan! Hurry up!”  
  
It turns out Rin was still in the shower. Umi’s face paled at the thought of being late for their appointment, but Nozomi just leaned against the doorframe and lit up her e-cigarette again.  
  
“Relax, Umi-chan,” Nozomi nudged Umi’s shoulder, feeling the silent panic seething from her.  
  
“How come _you’re_ so calm? Just the other day you nearly started an earthquake in the studio.”  
  
“Because we’re sorting this out quickly, and we’re making developments,” Nozomi responded, while Rin showed up in front of them.  
  
Like Umi, Rin opted for a suit, but her shirt was not tucked in and her tie was not done up properly. She also didn’t bother to button up the black jacket, and swapped suit pants for black jeans. Umi’s eye twitched, and sighed with relief as Hanayo came out of their bedroom to fix Rin up.  
  
“You’re not gonna dry your hair?” She asked the apprentice, who shook her head. The damp orange strands were rather stiff from the dampness.  
  
“It’ll dry quickly,” Rin murmured, then placed a kiss on Hanayo’s cheek as Umi stepped aside.  
  
“We better get moving.”   


* * *

  
  
It turned out that Umi, despite having printed out instructions on how to get to the law firm, was not good at following the directions.  
  
“Umi-senpai, you missed the left...again…” Rin’s small voice trembled with fear as Umi’s knuckles turned white to match the steering wheel.  
  
“D-Did I?”  
  
“That’s the third time, Umi-chan,” Nozomi’s aloofness only made the piercer more anxious.  
  
“Fine, I’ll get it next time.”

Rin was seriously considering to just get out of the car and run to the law firm, but Umi put the locks on when she saw Rin eyeing the door. Nozomi caught the yearning look from her apprentice in the rear-view mirror, and just winked.  
  
“We’ll be get there as long as Umi turns now.”  
  
Eventually, Umi parked the car and threw her head against the wheel.  
  
“Why is driving in this city so hard?”  
  
“It’s just you, Umi-senpai,” Rin yanked on the door, wanting to get to solid ground.

 

***

The law firm was small in comparison to the others Nozomi had seen throughout her life. It was only a three story building, unlike the towers that shot towards the sky in the cities she had lived in as a child. The building wasn’t overly big, and the sign out the front read ‘Lantis Law Firm.’  
  
“This is the place,” Umi locked the car once she stepped out and placed her hands inside her pockets. Rin was hiding behind Nozomi as the three of them stared up at the building. Nozomi, sensing Rin’s inner anxiety, took a step to the right, making Rin jump to the left.  
  
“C’mon,” she extended her arm for Rin to link with and grinned.  
  
“Let’s go chat to the lawyer Maki-chan has prepared for us.”

* * *

 

The reception area could only be described as orange. Orange floors, orange chairs, orange desk, orange letters on the orange wall. Hell, even the _phone_ was orange.  
  
Nozomi was fairly certain if Rin were to stand against the wall for five seconds, she would blend right in. to top everything off, even the receptionist had orange hair.  
  
Upon stating their names and the lawyer they would be seeing, the receptionist asked them to sit and wait on the three-seater orange couch.  
  
“It’s very...vibrant,” Umi remarked, fiddling with her jacket. The receptionist answered the phone in a cheery voice.  
  
“She reminds me of Honoka, to be quite honest,” The piercer mumbled with a tiny frown. Rin had been avoiding everyone’s gazes as she wiggled her toes, causing them to rise up and down in her shoes.  
  
“Rin-chan,” Nozomi nudged her apprentice’s side.  
  
“Nya?!” Rin shot up straight, and the artist let out a little sigh.  
  
“Relax. We’ll find out how flexible this all is in a matter of minutes.”  
  
“I know, but…” Rin dropped her head and fumbled with her pants.  
  
“If this goes to court, who will believe us?”  
  
Nozomi jolted upright, as though someone had slapped her in the face. Rin _did_ have a very valid point. Who _was_ going to believe them? They were three young women in their twenties who worked in a tattoo parlour. All three of them were covered in tattoos and piercings themselves. If people didn’t know them (which was the majority of civilisation,) they’d think the three were a bunch of delinquents.  
  
Nozomi turned back to Rin, pushing the thoughts of everyone staring at her out of her head.  
    
“This lawyer will...hopefully,” she gave a wry smile, and a door down the orange corridor opened.  
  
A woman marched down into the reception area. She was rather short, and this was emphasised by the large white coat she was wearing. Her hair was brown, and tied up in an intricate ponytail.  
  
Umi looked on the verge of euphoric tears at the sight of the woman that wasn’t at all orange. The woman slapped her hand down on the orange desk, and the receptionist jumped up at once.  
  
“Chika-chan! How’s everything going?” Her vice was loud and clear, and also made Rin jump.  
  
“A-ah! Everything is fine, Nitta-sama,” the receptionist bowed her head in a sign of respect, then took off a piece of paper from the printer.  
  
“Your next appointment is here, by the way.”  
  
“Fantastic!” The woman happily clapped the receptionist on the shoulder and took the piece of paper from her hand. She looked in the direction of the three women on the couch, and blinked.  
  
Nozomi stood up, knowing that the woman was taking in her chest piece, as the woman offered her hand out.  
  
“Nitta Emi, business lawyer. Nice to meet you!”  
  
Nozomi extended her hand out as Umi and Rin also took to their feet.  
  
“Toujou Nozomi, owner of _Lily White Body Art._ Nishikino’s daughter recommended you to me,” the artist stood firmly, being taller than the woman in the coat. She was surprised at the warm energy that this woman gave off, and a flicker of hope had come to life in her stomach. Nozomi then gestured behind her.  
  
“This is Sonoda Umi and Hoshizora Rin. They work with me at the studio.”  
  
Nitta shook their hands, smiling fondly.  
  
“Nice to meet all of you! Please, step into my office.”

***

  
  
Much to Umi’s dismay, the office had an orange couch, but apart from that it seemed like a normal room. A shelf of books was behind the large leather chair and mahogany desk, and three chairs were on the opposite side. On the table, next to the computer, was a small, orange dinosaur.  
  
Rin’s eyes widened at the extinct reptile, and Nitta caught the youngest girl’s excitement.  
  
“You like dinosaurs?” she asked.   
  
“They’re so cool!” Rin peered at the little toy with wide eyes. Umi sighed and took a seat on the left.  
  
“Thank you for your time, Nitta-san,” The piercer bowed her head as Rin plopped into the seat on the right, leaving Nozomi the middle seat.  
  
“Not a problem!” Nitta herself sat in the leather seat and placed the piece of paper down in front of her.  
  
“Okie dokie, so,” she tapped her fingers on the desk and hummed.  
  
“Do you have your papers to state that you own the business, Toujou-san?”  
  
Nozomi reached into her bag and pulled out a green folder. She mentally thanked Eli for leaving it on the table that morning, since she practically fell asleep on the couch reading through them.  
  
“Fantastic!” Nitta shouted with joy, making Umi and Rin jump again in their seats. They were going to have to get used to this.  
  
Nitta flicked through the folder and took out certain papers, lining them up on her desk in an orderly fashion.  
  
“Okay, so you, Toujou Nozomi, currently age twenty-six, opened _Lily White Body Art_ five years ago, correct?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“And has there been any previous incidents in regards to you owning the business?”  
  
“Nothing as major as this,” Nozomi felt her stomach begin to twist. The warmth from the business lawyer was slowly fading away, and she curled her fingers into her palms. Nitta nodded, and flicked over a page.  
  
“So, Sonoda-san started working for you when you started the business, correct?”  
  
“Yes,” this time, Umi answered, her voice stronger than Nozomi’s.  
  
“And Hoshizora-san has been your apprentice for how long?”  
  
“Approaching three months.”  
  
Nitta took out a pencil and circled something on the piece of paper the receptionist had given her. She looked up at Rin and smiled.  
  
“Do you enjoy being a tattoo apprentice?”  
  
“Y-yes, I do,” Rin awkwardly looked at Nozomi fo some sort of guidance.  
  
“Rin-chan hasn’t been my apprentice for too long, but she’s a very eager learner, and her new school designs will make her famous.”  
  
Nitta smiled and Umi grinned.  
  
“I must admit, I was a little shocked to have a tattoo parlor come to me, but you all seem so lovely and honest!”  
  
“Thank you very much, Nitta-san,” Umi bowed again as Rin got giddy in her seat. Nozomi’s eyes twinkled while Nitta sifted through more papers.  
  
“So, on Wednesday, the thirteenth of February, Hoshizora-san performed a tattoo under no supervision?”  
  
All the warmth in the room was gone instantly.  
  
“N-not exactly. Nozomi-senpai _did_ supervise me, it’s just...well…”  
  
“A form wasn’t signed saying Rin was ready, that’s all,” Nozomi explained, trying her best to ignore the swirling pit inside her stomach. Umi cleared her throat and pointed to a paper with a blue stamp at the bottom.  
  
“These forms kept track of who did which piece, and also act as terms and conditions, if you will.”  
  
Nitta peered at the blue form, then quirked an eyebrow, “Why do you ask if the client has eaten in the last four hours?”  
  
“Tattoos can last anywhere from fifteen minutes to several hours, Nitta-san. Having food in your stomach can lower the risk of passing out.”  
  
The lawyer’s face paled at the explanation from the artist.  
  
“Well, you’re the expert,” she put the form down and looked at Nozomi.  
  
“The prosecutors are Toujou Osamu and Mrs Minami, they will no doubt have a team of lawyers and those who work in human resources, so building a case will most definitely be difficult. However,” Nitta seemed to have caught the pained look on Umi’s face.  
  
“There is enough evidence here to get us started. Your business records are not skeptical in anyway, and you have passed all of your inspections with the highest grades.”  
  
“I guess that makes us look like a respectable business,” Umi muttered.  
  
Nozomi looked down at the floor, her knuckles turning white. Would the evidence be enough?  
  
As if she read Nozomi’s mind, Nitta spoke up, “There is a clear consistency, and I highly doubt that this _one_ time will slam your business into the ground Toujou-san.”  
  
“Nitta-san,” Nozomi’s voice was quiet as she flicked her eyes up to meet Nitta’s.  
  
“My father has tried countless times to make me go under, as he is _less_ than happy with my life choices.”  
  
Rin tensed up at this, as did Umi. Nitta’s smile fell and she bit her lip.  
  
“I’m very sorry to hear that, Toujou-san. I cannot imagine what it must be like, but,” Nitta placed her hands on the table, eyes full of determination.  
  
“I promise I will do everything in my power to win this case for you.”

 

* * *

 

Nozomi, Umi and Rin left the law firm in a cloud of mixed emotions. They were unsure if Maki was pulling their leg - Nitta was either a genius or a complete idiot. She went through the different case styles quickly, but got off-track faster than she could talk. The lawyer pulled out a few different books to bring up business cases with similar evidence to their current case, but would get even more side-tracked by talking to Rin, who looked as though she was a stack of _Jenga_  about to crumbled to the ground.

The second she was out of the building, Nozomi stuck the e-cigarette in her mouth. Silence hung in the air, save for the occasional car that drove past.  
  
“...Well, we have what we need to do the hearing, at least,” Umi was the first to break the silence. Rin nodded, her stance was higher than the previous hunch.  
  
“I’ll tell Kayo-chin she’ll need to come along.”  
  
Nozomi recounted everything that had happened as the synthetic mint flavour filled her mouth. NItta wouldn’t be at the hearing, but she would be representing them in court if the case would proceed to go in that direction (she even told Nozomi that she had a hunch it would.)

 


	36. Under Cover of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozoeli fluff. Who would've thought there'd be Nozoeli fluff in a Nozoeli fic? Shocking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early update! I'm going to be pretty flat out over the weekend, so why not deal with this first?
> 
> Uni finishes next week, so I'll have more time to write and sin and such. 
> 
> Under Cover of Darkness - The Strokes.

It was rare that Eli would ever stay until close. She normally would go to pick up Alisa, then drop her off at ballet. However, Nico was called home to take care of her brother, who had the flu, and Maki’s phone went straight to voicemail. Upon checking the roster, Eli remembered that it was university exam week, therefore Maki would be unable to come in.   
  
The winter sunlight filtered through the glass windows, giving the flowers an accent in colour. The natural heat from the shop was making Eli drowsy, as she leaned with her elbows on the counter and her head in her cheek in her palm.   
  
Her eyes were slowly drooping shut, until the door opened and she snapped up at once.  
  
“Welcome, how may I h-” she stopped speaking upon seeing who had entered her store. All of her drowsiness and regret of starting work at 7am left once she saw Nozomi standing in the doorway, hands in the pockets of her jacket and bag lazily slung over her shoulder.  
  
She looked very tired, her half-lidded eyes cast an amble gaze around the store, and surely the warmth wasn’t helping. Eli got out from behind the counter and walked up to the artist.   
  
“Hey,” her voice was soft as she embraced Nozomi gently. A muffled sigh was the response. Eli detached herself from the artist and locked eyes.  
  
“How did everything go?”  
  
Nozomi stared back, blinking slowly. The warmth of the flower shop was getting to her, too. She could only muster a shrug.  
  
“The lawyer is crazy,”  
  
“Is that a bad thing?” Eli placed her hands on each side of Nozomi’s waist.  
  
“I don’t know, we discussed it over lunch, and…” her voice grew wistful as her attention was caught a glass vase with red and white roses. The corner of Nozomi’s mouth quirked into a lopsided grin.   
  
“Can I draw that please, Elichi?”   
  
Eli, shocked by the sudden change in topic, turned to see what Nozomi was looking at. She figured Nozomi didn't want to talk about the lawyer right now, so she just nodded.  
  
“Yeah, sure. Did you want a chair?”  
  
“No,” before Eli knew it, the artist was sitting cross-legged on the ground with one hand in her bag. She pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil. Eli, only a little bewildered by the sudden action, gently ran her fingers through Nozomi’s hair, and placed a kiss on the top of her head.  
  
“Just so you know, I’m going to close in forty-five minutes,” she murmured, and the response was a soft ‘mmm.’ 

* * *

Eli resumed her minimal work, checking orders and arranging bouquets to kill the time. Nozomi didn’t speak, she was so focused on drawing the vase that she barely noticed her phone vibrating in her pocket. As soon as she finishing feathering her sketch of a leaf, she pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen.

_ ‘Four missed calls from Umi-chan,’  _ Nozomi bit her lip. She hadn’t really checked in with Umi ever since the piecer dropped her off. She unlocked her phone and quickly tapped out a message.   
  
_ 17:25 _ _   
_ **_Nozomi_ ** _   
_ __ Sorry for missing your calls, I got caught up at home. Currently at  Bibi.    
  


Sure enough, she got a text from Umi mere seconds later.  
  
_ 17:25 _ _   
_ **_Umineko_ ** _   
_ _ Thank goodness. I was getting worried! We’re opening again tomorrow? _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 17:26 _ _   
_ **_Nozomi_ ** _   
_ __ Yes, it should be okay.

The artist put away her phone in her pocket, but before she took her hand off it, the device vibrated again. Assuming it was another text from Umi about something business related, Nozomi automatically opened her phone.   
  
Until she saw the message:

_ 17:27 _ _   
_ **_Unknown number_ ** _   
_ _ Hey Toujou, _ _   
_ _ Heard you were in a tight spot, wanna loosen up?  _ _   
_ __ T

_ ‘Oh no…’  _ Nozomi didn’t need a caller ID to know who it was, and her knuckles turned white. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket and shook her head vigorously.

_ ‘Dealing with dad is bad enough. I’m  _ not  _ going anywhere near her.’  
_ __   
“Everything okay?”  
  
A pair of arms snaked around her neck, and before Nozomi knew it, Eli was standing behind her, eyes full of concern.  
  
“Oh, yeah...Just trying to get myself together,” Nozomi lied, repositioning the pencil in her hand to continue sketching.    
  
First her father, now this.

 

* * *

 

“Oh come  _ on! _ ”  
  
“Elichi, you need to keep your voice down.”  
  
“I will not  _ stand  _ for this outrage!” Eli threw another pillow at the laptop screen, and Nozomi just sighed.  
  
While Eli was closing  _ Bibi,  _ she had received a text from her mother to remind her that the Eurovision Song Contest was about to start. Nozomi had never seen Eli count up her till and open a safe so fast in her life. The artist was practically dragged home by the florist to watch the stream in their bed. Nozomi couldn’t give a damn about the silly old contest, it was all just glitter, wind machines, bearded women, special effects, dancing grandmothers and men in hamster wheels.   
  
The artist went back to her sketching as Eli let out another growl of frustration.  
  
“Oh really!? You’ll give twelve points to fucking Serbia but not Russia?! NICE ONE, SLOVENIA!”  
  
“Elichi, the Yamakus will surely complain again if you don’t watch your volume,” Nozomi didn’t look up from her sketchbook, she could practically feel the icy glare Eli gave her.  
  
“Nozomi, the motherland  _ clearly  _ had the best performance this year, and everyone is voting for everyone  _ but  _ Russia!”  
  
“Yes yes, woe is Russia, Russia deserves to win,” Nozomi patted Eli on the shoulder, still not bothering to look at the screen.   
  
She really should be going over what she would say at the hearing, but her mixed emotions about Nitta had made her hit a wall of confusion. It was strange, she knew exactly what to say and how to say, but there was just no will to rehearse or make notes - she was sitting in her bed with her girlfriend sketching.   
  
_ ‘What is wrong with me,’  _ Nozomi thought to herself, biting her lip and tapping her nostril ring. She knew for a fact that Umi would be sitting at her desk, pen in hand and paper in front of her, re-writing her notes for the hearing at  _ least  _ twenty times before going to bed. She knew that Rin would have asked Hanayo to help her memorize her notes, and would make little doodles of cats and smiley faces on the paper as bullet points.   
  
And there was Nozomi, sitting in her bed, trying to drown out her soulmate's screams of anguish over some shitty singing competition, doing absolutely nothing…  
  
“...Hey, you okay?”  
  
Eli’s concern bought Nozomi out of her snowballing thoughts, She blinked, and actually looked at Eli.  
  
“Yeah, just thinking…” Nozomi trailed off, then stared down at her sketch of a gravestone with withering flowers. She hadn’t done any of her renaissance style practice for a while, and decided on something morbid.   
  
Eli arched a blonde eyebrow at Nozomi, who flipped over to a fresh page in her sketchbook and wrote down a heading:  
  
_ HEARING NOTES  
_   
“Keep watching your garbage, Elichi,” Nozomi grinned while jotting down some quick notes, and actually looked up to meet Eli’s concerned stare.   
  
“Look, Russia just got twelve points,” Nozomi noticed the heavily European accented English switch to French to repeat what was just said. Eli narrowed her eyes, then darted back to the screen.   
  
“Huh?! From  _ Greece?! _ ”  
  
Nozomi left Eli to wonder what possessed the country to give her motherland twelve points, but she seemed happy nonetheless.  
  
“We  _ must  _ beat Australia, why the hell are they even there in the first place?!”  
  
The artist ignored her girlfriend’s remarks, but noticed her phone vibrate again on the bedside table. She picked it up, and her heart dropped.   
  
_ 20:48 _ _   
_ _ **Unknown Number**   
_ _ C’mon Toujou you know you want to _ _   
_ __ T 

_ ‘Fuck right off,’  _ Nozomi grit her teeth and placed her phone back on her nightstand, as if it was a poisonous animal. 

 

* * *

 

It took a while for Nozomi to coax Eli to sleep - the blonde was distraught Russia had come third to a very political song from Ukraine  _ and  _ lost to Australia, a country that wasn’t even  _ in  _ Europe. Nozomi resorted to wrapping one arm around Eli’s waist to trap her against the mattress and let the other stroke her blonde hair.  
  
“Don’t worry, there’s always next year,” she mumbled, her lulling finally getting Eli’s eyelids to droop shut.   
  
_ ‘About time,’  _ Nozomi pressed a gentle kiss to Eli’s forehead, her heart fluttering at the quiet, drowsy hum that came from the florist’s throat.   
  
“Good girl,” she murmured, continuing to stroke Eli’s soft blonde hair while listening to the slo rhythmic heartbeat. 

The artist waited another forty-five minutes to make sure Eli was truly sound asleep before untangling herself from her girlfriend and swung her legs over the edge of the bed to sit up.   
  
She got up and shimmied into a pair of jeans, then threw on her leather jacket over her purple pyjama shirt. It had been six hours since her last e-cigarette, and Nozomi was fairly certain if she didn’t fulfill that craving, she would turn into Hannibal Lecter with a D cup.   
  
Nozomi grabbed the e-cigarette and her phone (out of habit,) and stepped outside of her apartment. The harsh winter chill blasted her in the face. The artist leaned against the railing opposite her door and lit up the face nicotine.   
  
_‘Does anything_ else _want to fuck me over?’_ she bitterly thought, placing the cylinder between her lips.   
  
As if on cue, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Nozomi’s heart stopped - who the hell would call her at midnight? Upon seeing the number, her blood ran cold. It had no caller ID, but she didn’t need it to know who it was.   
  
The artist automatically let the phone go straight to voicemail. Normally, her father would just hang up, but he left voice message.  
  
 __‘You can’t keep ignoring me, Nozomi. I will see you on Friday and in court,’  
  
His voice was monotone, but very clear. It made Nozomi sick to her stomach, but her brain was not letting her turn the phone off.  
  
She ended up standing there, in the cold with the e-cigarette crunched between her teeth, listening to insult after insult and threat after threat.   
  
Nozomi stopped feeling the cold, and eventually, hung up. With a whine of frustration, she smacked her hand against her face, and slowly ran it down her face. Her nail caught onto her nose stud, and she winced slightly while detaching.   
  
Her world was being held together by the seems, and it was only in due time when it would come crumbling down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #Pray4everyone
> 
> I'm Australian and Eurovision is my jam. Believe it or not, Australia gets Eurovision broadcasted to us every year, and my family has watched it religiously every time :D
> 
> *Douwe Bob is my husbando, jsyk


	37. Getting Warmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli is salty about Eurovision and Lily White should've played Ace Attorney

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, massive gay shoutout to my gr8 m8 Rasadad again (@space-cowboi) for all the help on this chapter. As stated previously, I don't know hte first thing about legal stuff and she was so helpful so thanks babe xxoo
> 
> That being typed, this chapter is incredibly scattered and strange...
> 
> Getting Warmer - Gwen Stefani

“So, how did that audition go?” Eli asked Alisa as they leaned against the bus stop. The younger Ayase shrugged.  
  
“Eh, I think I did okay. Yoshino-sensei seemed happy with my performance.”  
  
“That’s good, we can’t have a disappointed ballet instructor, now can we?” Eli’s mind turned to Alisa’s ballet instructor: she was short - very short - but from the videos and performances she had seen, Nanjo Yoshino was a graceful dancer, who stood out from the others onstage.  
  
“What did you think of the company? Would you want to go there?”  
  
Alisa frowned in thought, rocking on the balls of her feet.  
  
“Well, it’s close to home, which is always good, but…”  
  
She looked down and withdrew herself into her large grey coat.  
  
“I kept getting stared at by the other dancers.”  
  
Eli’s heart sank - she knew that feeling all too well. Having foreign elements, despite being born and raised in Japan, was always hard for certain people to overcome.  
  
“Alisa,” Eli placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder, practically feeling the pain.  
  
“Believe me when I say that it’s going to be hard to shake those feelings. They’ll always be with you, and there’s not much you can do to stop other people from judging you from your looks.”  
  
Eli paused, remembering what Nozomi had said to Tsubasa. She smiled and chuckled, “It’s something that will be with you for the rest of your life, but you are first and foremost a genuine human being with a passion and talent for dancing. Let people see that instead of your blonde hair.”  
  
Alisa’s cheeks went red at her sister’s kind words. Eli tucked a stray lock of platinum behind Alisa’s ear.  
  
“Yoshino-sensei sees passed it, as does everyone else in your ballet school,”  
  
Alisa averted her eyes and stuffed her hands deeper into her coat pockets.  
  
“S-so how’s Nozomi? Is she still dealing with everything that happened?”  
  
Eli nodded, the atmosphere changing instantly, “She has the hearing tomorrow.”  
  
“I guess she knows what it’s like to get those looks,” Alisa thought out loud, then instantly squeaked and covered her mouth.  
  
“I’m sorry, Eli,”  
  
“No, trust me,” Eli clapped a hand on Alisa’s shoulder again as the bus rolled up to the stop.  
  
“She knows what it’s like, and so do I.”  
  
Alisa smiled at her sister’s words, and giggled when the older blonde turned her gaze to the street and started humming a familiar tune.  
  
“Eli, how long are you going to be humming that?”  
  
“Until the jury realises they made a mistake in letting Ukraine win,” Was Eli’s instant response while the bus opened the doors.  
  
“Thunder and lightning it’s getting exciting,” Eli sang under her breath as they boarded. Alisa continued to laugh.  
  
“Maybe Yoshino-san can teach me the dance.”  
  
“She better, I’ll even buy a giant screen for you to climb.”    


* * *

  


“Hoshizora Rin, on the thirteenth of February, you performed a tattoo under the supervision of Toujou Nozomi. Is this correct?”  
  
Rin’s heart was in her throat. She sat at the plain brown desk in the rather dark courtroom, due to the constantly shades of dark earthy colours. Being on Nozomi’s right, she couldn’t see Umi’s expressions, and Nozomi’s normally calm aura seemed to be withering away. Rin’s knuckles turned white as she croaked out an answer.

“Yes, your honour.”  
  
“Did you perform the tattoo on Koizumi Hanayo?”  
  
Rin turned around, seeing Hanayo in the order of the room. Compared to her, Rin seemed extremely confident: the girl was so hunched in on herself she could blend into the background.  
  
“Yes.  
  
“Did Koizumi-san know of the forms that needed to be signed?”  
  
“Yes. She signed the disclaimer forms.”  
  
Rin caught Hanayo’s eyes, and bit her lip again. Her chest tightened up, and felt as though the dark walls were closing in around her.  
  
“Hoshizora-san, how long have you known Toujou-San?”  
  
Rin snapped her head to stare at Nozomi next to her. Nozomi’s grin didn’t waver, but there was some hidden emotion in her eyes that Rin couldn’t put her finger on.  
  
“I...I’ve known Nozomi-senpai for six months, but I started my apprenticeship two or three months ago.”  
  
The judge sternly glanced from Rin to Nozomi. All three defendants wore the same attire they had for meeting Nitta. Hanayo had re-tied Rin’s tie at least three times before they went into the courtroom.  
  
“Were you aware of Toujou-san not signing the form for you to proceed to tattoo Koizumi-san?”  
  
“Not until Nozomi-senpai got the phone call.”  
  
The judge looked down at a sheet of paper in front of them and raised an eyebrow.

 

* * *

 

“Kotori-chan?”  
  
She was snapped out of her thoughts, and instantly retracted her hands from the sink. Kotori and Honoka always took the day-care’s nap time period as the only opportunity they’d have to do the dishes. Since the children were rather messy, it took time to clean the plastic bowls and spoons.  
  
“You spaced out, are you okay?” Honoka asked, hair tied into a ponytail while she wore a white apron. Kotori shrugged and stared down at the pink bowls in the sink.  
  
“I’m worried, Honoka-chan.”  
  
“Same,” the ginger looked at the colourful wall and pursed her lips. She quickly looked back at Kotori with a grin.  
  
“But hey, there’s a bright side if Umi-chan has to go to court again!”  
  
Kotori raised an eyebrow.  
  
“And what would that be?”  
  
“If they go to court, they’d take the lawyer and even _more_ evidence to help!”  
  
Kotori blinked. She didn’t know if what Honoka said was brilliant or just stupid.

 

* * *

 

“Sonoda-san,”  
  
“Y-Yes,” Umi jumped slightly in her seat as her last name was called.  
  
“The business records say that you closed _Lily White Body Art_ that very evening. Is this true?”  
  
“Yes, your honour”  
  
“Can you please explain to me what happens when you close the studio?”  
  
Umi looked at Nozomi briefly, then cleared her throat.  
  
“First, the doors are shut, then the tills are counted. The deposit goes into a bank bag and locked into the safe. After that, the forms are sorted, then the daily sales r-”  
  
“Did you sort out the forms at the end of the day?” The judge cut Umi off quickly, causing the piercer to choke on her own breath.  
  
“U-uhm, yes?”  
  
“And you didn’t see the unsigned form in that pile?”  
  
“No…It was a busy day,” Umi shrunk into herself, her voice getting smaller and smaller, to the point when it was just nothingness.

 

* * *

 

“You reckon they’re holding up?”  
  
“Well _I_ wouldn’t know, I’m standing out here with you,” Maki folded her arms as Nico’s brow twitched.  
  
“Smart-arse,” Nico mumbled, stuffing the cigarette into her mouth and folding her arms. Maki looked down at the pavement she had just written all over in chalk to advertize _Bibi’s_ brand new stock of daffodils.  
  
“I know it’s common to not bring a lawyer to a hearing, but you’d think they would, given their circumstances.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Nico seemed genuinely confused. Maki furrowed her brow, obviously not keen on what she was about to say.  
  
“While we might know and love Nozomi, Umi and Rin,” she started with a gesture to Nico and herself.  
  
“When people look at them, all they see are their tattoos and piercings. People who don’t know them think they’re scary criminals. Their aesthetics aren’t going to help them too much if they’re alone.”  
  
Nico caught on to what Maki was talking about, and instantly stomped her foot.  
  
“You’re right, Maki,” Nico admitted, but then her head shot up with a smirk.  
  
“They _look_ terrifying, but they’re all intelligent...save for Rin at times.”  
  
A woman wearing a strange brown vest over a square printed dress walked up to _Bibi_. Maki did her best to keep a straight face at the strange fashion choices this woman had made.  
  
"Excuse me, I'm here to pick up an order?"  
  
"Yes!" Nico threw her cigarette to the ground and dug her heel into it. Her super peppy-retail face on was enough to make Maki's eye twitch.  
  
"Please come in, I'll help you with that. What was the name for the order?"  
  
"Nanjo."  
  
"That's right, twenty bouquets."  
  
Nico led the woman inside while Maki stuffed her hands into her pockets, her mind turning to Rin. 

 

* * *

 

“Minami-san, are you sure the document with no signature came from _Lily White Body Art?_ ”  
  
“Absolutely,” The woman’s voice was curt, laced with disgust.  
  
“The level of unprofessionalism in this regard is astounding.”  
  
The judge raised an eyebrow at the remark, as did Umi.  
  
“So, Minami-san, you’re the one who informed Toujou-san about this, therefore you want to prosecute?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“And if you win, what will you have the studio do?”  
  
Minami glanced over at Nozomi, and looked her dead in the eye.  
  
“Close the studio and revoke their rights to tattoo and pierce.”  
  
All three of them felt their hearts drop. Their income, their lifestyle…  
  
“That seems extreme,” Umi spoke up, desperately trying to keep her voice under some sort of control.

 

* * *

 

A deafening silence encased Eli while she sat at the table in her apartment, staring at her laptop. _Excell_ was open, but blank. She hated doing payroll, but no one else was allowed to do it but her. There was no motivation or incentive, other than receiving money. Eli wished the money would just fall into her purse through the help of some magic.  
  
The ballet instructor would be picking up her bouquet today, and Eli texted Nico a remind to throw in complimentary ribbon-wrapping, but that was about all she had done today. Eli was too worried to do anything _but_ worry. She relaxed upon receiving a text back from Nico instantly, informing her that Nanjo had indeed picked up the flowers and that Maki had already wrapped every single bouquet.   
  
Eli smiled for a split second, then went back to staring at her laptop in despair.   


* * *

  
  
“Toujou-san, your business records from your shop opening until the present day is impeccable, save for this.”  
  
Nozomi blinked in response, desperately trying to ignore the craving clawing at the walls of her stomach.  
  
“However, this is quite a serious issue, as Hoshizora-san is an apprentice.”  
  
“Indeed it is,” Nozomi responded calmly. The judge looked down at the paper again, and sighed.  
  
“We’ll be in taking a recess to discuss the matter, Dismissed.  
  
Nozomi opened her mouth to say something, but felt Rin’s forehead go against her shoulder, her frame shifting with sobs. Umi stared at her feet, doing her best not to let any sign of weakness show, but Nozomi thought it was too late for that.

 

-

 

They left the courtroom with a cloud hanging over them. Rin held Hanayo’s hand, and collapsed into herself once the doors to the outside world swung shut behind them.

Umi, hands in pockets, bit down hard on her lip while they walked slowly down the steps of the courthouse.  
  
Nozomi pulled out the e-cigarette and practically shoved it into her mouth. She knew it would be going deeper - there’s no way her father would let this not pass.

 

* * *

 

Sure enough, Nozomi was right.  
  
“We’ll be in touch with your lawyer, Toujou-san, and set a date for the case.”  
  
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees.

 

-

  
Umi took Rin and Hanayo home. When she offered the lift to Nozomi, she declined.  
  
“No thanks, Umi-chan. I’m just going to walk.”  
  
“Are...you sure?”  
  
“Positive,” Nozomi’s face was anything _but_ positive, but Umi didn’t see the point in fighting. They’d all be back in Nitta’s office come monday to sort out their evidence for the case, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I know Eurovision is held in May and the story is set in February.


	38. Futari Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozomi makes a bad decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ILLEGAL ACTIONS. IF YOU’RE GREATLY OFFENDED OR REPULSED BY THIS, DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER.

 

Nozomi trudged down to _Floating Heart_ . The same waitress as before stared as she entered, but Nozomi didn’t care. Her world was crumbling apart in some thick haze within her mind.  
  
“Just a chai tea, please,” Nozomi handed the waitress a bill, and sat down in the smoking booth. Her phone buzzed the second her bottom came in contact with the plush seat. She pulled out her phone and e-cigarette to read the text message:   
  
_**16:37**  
Elichi  
_ _Is everything okay?_   
  
Nozomi’s heart dropped again, and sent back a single emoji in response.

 _16:38_ _  
_ _Nozomi_ _  
_ _(◔ᴥ◔)_

Smiling at the stupidity, Nozomi didn’t even notice the waitress placing a cup in front of her. She forced the smile to stay as a ‘thank you,’ and the second the woman walked away, Nozomi’s face fell into despair again.  
  
_‘It was to be expected,’_ she thought, staring into the cup with one hand curling around the e-cigarette. Lighting it up, Nozomi felt herself grow heavy again. She’d have to go back to court and face the man who had made her life a living hell with some crazy lawyer. Nozomi scrunched her face up and threw her head into her hands and choked back a sob.  
  
She stayed like that for some time. It was only when her phone vibrated that she lifted her head up, sniffling.  
  
_15:58_ _  
_ _Umineko_ _  
_ _Did you get home okay?_

Nozomi ignored the message as a thought struck her. She wasn’t happy, she couldn’t be happy in her current state. Going home to Eli wouldn’t make her happy, it’d just be comfort - not happiness. Opening her phone and still ignoring Umi’s message, Nozomi went to the unknown number in the text message screen and hit dial.   
  
The ringing was agonizing while Nozomi shifted the e-cigarette to make room for the teacup’s handle. When the phone answered, Nozomi felt her heart clench.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Toudou, it’s been a while.”  
  
Silence cast over for a few brief seconds, then a low chuckle drawled out on the other end of the phone.  
  
“Toujou Nozomi as I live and breathe. How are you?”  
  
“Currently the star of a brand new shit-show.” Nozomi really didn’t want to have a conversation.  
  
“So I’ve heard. Now tell me, to what do i owe the pleasure of you gracing me with your voice?”  
  
“Cut the shit. You know what I want, since you seemed _so_ insistent on it through the last few days.”  
  
“Yeah, I can help you out. What did you want?”  
  
Nozomi shut her eyes tightly, and grit her teeth.  
  
“Make me happy.”

 

* * *

"She's  _still_ not answering or responding to text messages?"  
  
"If she was, I wouldn't be calling you," Eli grit her teeth while her knuckles turned white. She was sitting at the dining table with  _Skype_ open.  
  
Umi was in the top left-hand corner, her hair down and jacket off. She was in the study, judging from the large bookcase behind her, and Kotori on her arm. Behind the engaged couple was Honoka. Next to Umi's square was Maki, clearly sitting at a desk up to her eyeballs in university papers.   
  
"Okay Eli, just think. Where would Nozomi have gone?" Maki pulled out her phone and let Eli rack her brains.  
  
"There's three places she could've gone. Here, her studio or the shrine," Eli listed them off on her finger. Kotori downcast her gaze and tightened her grip on Umi's arm.  
  
"It's been a while...maybe we should call the police?"  
  
Umi extended her free arm up to Kotori's cheek and offered a rather depressing grin, "Three hours isn't long enough to file a missing person unit, Kotori."  
  
"Well, there's not much else we can do aside from going out and looking for her ourselves," Honoka folded her arms, staring directly at Eli through the webcam.   
  
The blonde sighed and looked at the clock. All of their shops were closed, and there was the disgusting, murky swamp of anxiety that was stretching out through Eli's body that was just expecting the worst. Nozomi hadn't been the same since this shit-storm started to brew, and who knew where she was?  
  
Slamming a hand down on the table, she looked at the computer screen with a cold fire in her blue eyes.   
  
"The only thing we can do is go out and look for her," she pulled out her phone and opened a new note.   
  
"Kotori and Umi, can you guys go for a drive around the block where the shrine is?"  
  
"O-Of course," Umi was stunned at the sudden decision, but it didn't bother her at all. It was the only logical thing to do. Eli then flicked her gaze over to Maki.  
  
"Maki, you still have that red car, yes?"  
  
"Of course I do, what do you take me for?" Maki twirled at a strand of crimson hair with a haughty look on her face.   
  
"Can you pick up Honoka and check out the studio?"  
  
"Sure," Maki nodded as Honoka let out a cheer. Umi turned to her flatmate.  
  
"You can use my keys to get in. What about you, Eli? Did you need a lift as well?" She asked as Kotori got up and left to get something.   
  
Eli blinked down at her phone, catching a glimpse of her fingernails in the process.  
  
"I...I am going to call Nico over and we're going to search this block."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Honoka grinned.

* * *

 

In hindsight, turning off her phone wasn’t the best idea. Yes, she needed to keep Eli and Umi out of this, but she also needed to keep in contact with Toudou. Nozomi felt disgusting about what she was about to do. It had been so long since she had done this, and that memory alone wasn’t helping.  
  
It had been some time since Nozomi left _Floating Heart._ Instead of going home, she had gone back to _Lily White,_ and just sat in the break room, staring at the canvases on the walls. The shop lights weren't on, and the studio was still closed. Some faint knocking came from the main door, but Nozomi ignored it. She was closed, and who knows if she'd ever be able to perform a tattoo again.  
  
The text message Nozomi had received from Toudou told her everything she needed to know for their encounter:   
  
**_20:28_ _  
_ ** _**Unkown Number**  
_ _9pm, the old alleyway. Bring dough_

Green eyes blinked at the text. Of course, it made total sense to be somewhat cryptic. Nozomi knew exactly where to go, thanks to her university days. She stood up and put on her hoodie and leather jacket. It was freezing, but thankfully, happiness could warm her up. Turning off the desk lamp, Nozomi left the break room through the back door, and once she was outside, locked the door with a sigh.  
  
_‘Elichi is going to kill me,’_ she pressed her forehead against the door and shut her eyes tightly.  
  
_‘But what else can I do.’_

* * *

 

"NOZOMI-CHAN!" Honoka continued to ram her knuckles into the door, eyes full of determination. Maki sighed next to her, still twirling at her hair anxiously.   
  
"Honoka, she's not answering, so she mustn't be here," the student sighed, eyes catching the glint of the keys emerging from Honoka's pocket.  
  
"We'll see about  _that,_ " Honoka grinned, inserting Umi's keys into the door and twisting them. The ginger opened the door, then quickly fumbled with the clicker to disarm the alarm.   
  
She trotted into the studio, nearly gagging at the intensity of the santiary products that stank up the entire place.  
  
"This place is cleaner than the medical labs at university," Maki's own nose twitched as Honoka used the keys to unlock the break room door. She had only been to  _Lily White_ once, but knew where everything was thanks to Umi.   
  
"Nozomi-chan?" Honoka stuck her head through the open door and slapped her hand to the wall, fingers crawling around to find the light switch. Maki was carefully maneuvering herself through the studio, as Honoka had also not turned on those lights.  
  
"Honoka, she's not here," Maki's four words made her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

* * *

 

  
Nozomi trudged, hands in pockets and e-cigarette in mouth, down the rather quiet street. For some reason, Friday night wasn’t bustling with corporate people eager to hit the bars and start their weekends. The stores were all shut, the only light source came from the skyscraper’s lights and the dim lampposts along the concrete path.  
  
She ignored it all, staring at her feet as they automatically lead her to a bad decision.  
  
Five blocks later, Nozomi caught a glimpse of her old university campus. Her eyes crinkled at the memories of studying, drawing and many morning drink runs before a test. It was those days that really made a difference in her life, and to think she was coming full circle with this next encounter. She stood opposite the university and in front of an empty store. When she was studying, it had been an antique shop.

Nozomi enjoyed university: it was a fine balance between practical work and theory work, but unlike other students, Nozomi took everything on board. Most of the other students weren’t too fond of her, and kept their distance. There was a total of three people Nozomi talked to: Eli, Nico and her absolute worst rival.  
  
She rounded the corner to get into the alleyway, hands in pockets while she puffed out smoke, and looked around. It was completely deserted.  
  
“Well, speak of the devil.”  
  
Nozomi was wrong, and she whirled around to see her very rival from university, her shadow leaning against the wall with a cigarette in her hand. The artist didn’t need the light to know who it was, and when the figure leaned forward, her face entered the moonlight.  
  
Toudou Erena was the only other student that talked to Nozomi during university. Well, talk wasn’t the right word. Erena might be a talented photographer, but her other hobby included selling illegal substances for a reasonable price. She was the university’s dealer, and Nozomi had contacted her a few times for recreational grass. Upon getting serious with Eli, Nozomi cut that tie, deciding that Eli didn’t need any of that disgusting underworld.  
  
Needless to say, Erena wasn’t happy losing one of her prized clients, and was kicked out of university upon keeping the substances in her bag one day.  
  
“Toujou Nozomi as I live and breathe,” her grin was lopsided, and her voice a low drawl. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and hair matted. Nozomi frowned, refusing to blink.  
  
“Just give me the stuff.”  
  
“Wow, _you’re_ fiesty. It Gay-yase wind you up or somethin’?” Erena kicked herself off the wall with a chuckle and took a step closer to Nozomi, who narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose. Erena was the lowest of low. To hear _that_ mention Eli made Nozomi sick.  
  
“Don’t you talk about my soulmate like that, you _pig,_ ” Nozomi took her hand out of her pocket, fingers curling around a roll of yen.  
  
“Now, give me the stuff.”  
  
Erena let another low chuckle drawl out of her throat while she fumbled in her pocket. She slowly pulled out a plastic zip-lock bag containing a green substance.  
  
Nozomi felt her heart stop. This was happening. She was going to do this. Erena held out the bag as Nozomi practically shoved the money into the dealer’s chest.  
  
“You used to love talking, Nozomi. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or is your daddy not playing fair again.”  
  
Nozomi scowled and pocketed the substance, ignoring Erena completely.  
  
“Y’know, that’s some special stuff right there.”  
  
“What the hell do you mean?” Nozomi snarled, ignoring the e-cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth as Erena took a drag of a real one.  
  
“It’s one of Erena’s Experiments. You’ll be the first to try it, consider yourself lucky, Nozomi.”  
  
“What’s in it?” Nozomi was skeptical, she didn’t trust Erena at all, but she was contradicting herself just by being in the alleyway with her.  
  
“Ah, just a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ to make the experience worth your while. I mean,” a wicked grin crawled onto Erena’s face, like a tarantula about to strike.  
  
“Getting ready for court must be quite stressful. This should help loosen you up.”  
  
Nozomi’s stomach boiled in rage. The fact that Erena knew about this made her decompose into rage and disgust. She felt her ears burn as she raised her head.  
  
“What’s in it.”  
  
“The best of both worlds, my dear,” Erena flashed her teeth, and then moved her hair over her shoulder.  
  
While the dealer tapped the money against her free hand, Nozomi turned on her heel and stormed out of the alleyway.  
  
“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Nozomi- _sama,_ ” Erena called after her lazily, then let out a dark cackle that Nozomi did her best to ignore as she rounded the corner.

* * *

Hey, it’s me...The Author. Now, the next scene is the drug scene, oh no I spoiled it for you I’m The Worst™. 

In all seriousness, I came here to warn you _again_ , because I do not want comments being like ‘omg y is she doing drugs y u no warn me?!!!111’ Well princess, I just _did. Twice._ This is the second and _final_ warning about the next scene: there is drug use. Nozomi is going to do drugs. If you’re uncomfortable with this, then  **_do not keep reading._ **   
  
On the other hand, if you _want_ to read this scene, I suggest getting [‘Futari Happiness](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZTjwNwG5ik)’ up and listen along to it. It’ll make it even more of a trip ;)  
  
Thanks fam ily   
Xoxo gossip D.

* * *

 

It would be suicide to go home with the plastic bag,  Nozomi wasn’t stupid. She was, however, annoyed at herself for going back to _Lily White_ . Realistically, it was the only place she could do this, and the _worst_ place. Her studio was under enough fire as it was, and this was only adding to the flames - a tattoo artist doing drugs in a tattoo studio.  
  
_‘The worst stereotype,’_ Nozomi thought, leaning against the glass door to her studio and pulling out paper from her pocket. She hated herself each passing second. This was not a good idea.  
  
Neither was thinking she could win the case…  
  
_‘I’m fucked, anyway,’_ Nozomi thought as slumped to the ground, using her back to balance herself against the glass door. Her bottom met the pavement, muscles tightening instantly at the sudden cold.  
  
Nozomi sprinkled her pinches of the green substance into the paper, sifting it all to line up neatly. She noticed the flecks of white mixed in with the green - it wasn’t a lot, and reminded her of christmas. With a smirk of repulsion at herself, she lightly licked the edge of the paper, taking in the fowl, tangy taste, and rolled it up into a cylinder.  
  
Fumbling in her pocket for her lighter (she promised Eli she’d throw out the _cigarettes, not the lighter,_ ) Nozomi placed her joint between her lips and flicked the [zippo](http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/auc-darumaya/item/10026035) to life . Eli had bought her that very lighter as an anniversary present, simply because it looked nice, and Nozomi had her eye on it every time they’d pass the Tobacco shop.  
  
The artist inhaled the substance, and closed her eyes. It would take some time, but this would make her happy. All she wanted was just to be happy again. She blinked, eyes bleary and unfocused, while she stared out onto the empty street. Across from her studio on the other side of the street was a shop called _Wonder Flight._ Nozomi had no idea what it sold, and she didn’t really care, because the warmth of happiness was starting to flow through her veins.  
  
_‘There we go,’_ she thought, as a deranged grin curled onto her face. Nozomi closed her eyes for what seemed like ages, slowly breathing through her nose as her insides swirled.  
  
Pure happiness...that’s all she wanted...All thoughts and insecurities about everything that had happened left her body while she rested her head back against the locked door to _Lily White.  
_   
“It’s okay, girl,” Nozomi raised a hand to awkwardly pat the door behind her.  
  
“I’ll save you,” her nonsensical wonderings continued for quite some time as the world slowed down. The streetlight flickered awkwardly, and it was making her angry.  
  
“Get your shit together!” Nozomi snapped, kicking out a leg in an attempt to stop the flickering. It was an instant mistake. Once Nozomi brought her leg back to the ground, a surge of sudden energy pulsed up through her leg to her stomach.  
  
_‘What the,’_ looking down, her leg was still connected to her body, but she couldn’t feel it anymore.  
  
“Huh?!” Nozomi made an attempt to get back up, panic pulsing, but stumbled as her legs gave out beneath her. She was back on the ground, her stomach reforming into the black pit of terror as her brain went into overdrive.  
  
She tried again, desperately trying to get up, but three seconds later, was back on the ground. Panic washed over her in a cold wave - what happened to her happiness? Why did her legs take away her happiness?  
  
Nozomi realized what she had just thought of, and let out a psychotic laugh. Her legs...her fucking legs...were ruining her happiness.  
  
With a growl of frustration, Nozomi kicked out her legs again, suddenly feeling all of her senses heightened instantly. It was almost terrifying at how clearly she could hear the hum of electricity through the air and the blood roaring in her ears.  
  
Nozomi didn’t need to be sober to tell that this weed wasn’t right. She clutched at her chest, each heartbeat was like a clap of thunder. This sensory over load was becoming far too much, and all the artist could do was slump forward and clutch at her ears to block out the world, shutting her eyes and whimpering.  
  
Erena had ruined her - she fucked her up - Nozomi felt like her body was about to burt open, and she lay in that awkward position, expecting Death to come collect her.  
  
Nozomi could make out a muffled voice - maybe it was Eli? Nozomi hoped not, she didn’t want to face Eli’s wrath this late at night. Perhaps Umi? But Nozomi didn’t know what would be worse: angry Umi or Angry Eli.  
  
But it wasn’t Umi or Eli. The voice had a very familiar ring to it, but Nozomi just couldn’t put her finger as a shadowy figure stood over her.  
  
“You’re an idiot, Non-tan.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ever EVER mix drugs. This has been a PSA.


	39. Heart's Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small people have super strength

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> G'day m8, 
> 
> First off, thank you to everyone for the amazing feedback on the previous chapter! I'd like to thank each and every one of you for being adults about it, too :)
> 
> Heart's Cry - Kusuda Aina

_*pat pat pat*  
_ __  
Something was touching her face, making Nozomi stir. It took all of her might to open her eyes, to see a strange white cat staring back at her intently.  
  
Puzzlement filled her mind, taking in the feline resting on her chest. It’s yellow eyes locked with Nozomi’s bleary turquoise, as if trying to tell her something.  
  
“...Cat…” was all Nozomi could mumble. The cat stood up and stretched, then jumped of the bed and sauntered towards the door. This gave Nozomi an opportunity sit up slowly and recognise the soft plush pillows that were against her head and back.   
  
Upon shifting, her skin caught onto more soft texture, which she identified as bed sheets. It was cold, in all areas except for her chest and nether regions. She looked down, blinking upon the sudden revelation that she was in her underwear and bra. The sheets were cold against her skin, and Nozomi moved her right leg out to stretch. She looked down and took in the large mermaid piece on her right thigh. Her left leg, to coincide with her arm of flowers, was a vine of poison that curled up her entire leg. 

How Nozomi ended up on a small bed in a light yellow room, she had no idea. Her eyelids weighed a tonne, and her entire body felt like she had just swallowed five sandbags. What made it stranger was that after a night of smoking weed, Nozomi would normally feel refreshed and clear. That clearly wasn’t the case.   
Whatever Erena had mixed clearly was the absolute opposite of weed.  
  
_ ‘...Erena...she’s a dead woman!’  _ Nozomi put in all of her effort to snap her eyelids open and heave herself into a sitting position, but that was a  _ very  _ bad move. Her head spun, and she felt like she was going to be sick.  
  
_ ‘Uh oh,’  _ Nozomi clapped a hand to her mouth and focused on her breathing. She wasn’t doing much to comprehend the stereotype of herself at that current moment. She did her best to balance herself out by staring at a picture on the wall. It was a colour picture of a woman in a ballerina tutu, performing some sort of leap. She was smiling, clearly enjoying herself.   
  
Nozomi couldn’t help but notice that she looked rather familiar. Short brown hair in a bun…  
  
She wasn’t able to figure out who it was, because the door to the room opened, and in stepped a rather small woman. Her dark brown hair was down, and she had a mug of steaming liquid in her hand.   
  
“Oh! You’re awake, that’s good,” the woman gave a small smile as Nozomi stared at her. The artist was trying to remember where she had seen  _ this  _ woman from. Surely they had met before?  
  
“How are you feeling? You looked a right mess when she bought you in,” The woman placed the cup on the bedside table, and Nozomi instantly knew that aroma.  
  
_ ‘Chai…’  _ Nozomi looked from the cup to the woman, who had concern in her eyes.  
  
“Um...You’re not feeling any better?” She seemed fairly weirded out out Nozomi’s staring, to the point that she actually moved back against the wall.   
  
“I’m sorry, but who are you and why am I in this bed?” Nozomi looked down at the sheets, then back at the woman with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“And how did you know that chai tea is my favourite?”   
  
“I didn’t?” The woman looked as though Nozomi was interrogating her.   
  
“She didn’t,” a new voice entered, along with its owner. Nozomi snapped her gaze over t teh doorframe, and her jaw dropped.  
  
She knew this woman. She knew this woman very well. She was short, about the same height as the woman next to Nozomi, with short brown hair and smirk on her face. Her arms were folded, revealing intricate tattoos of ribbons that laced around her forearms and up her bicep.   
  
“But I know.”   
  
Nozomi continued to stare at the woman in absolute awe. She hadn’t seen her in four years.  
  
“It’s been awhile, Non-tan.”   
  


* * *

  
Kusuda Aina was not always a tattoo artist. She started her life out as an aspiring ballet dancer, but upon getting a tattoo, was shunned away from the profession. She decided to take up a career in art, rather than dance, but still kept her pictures of her former life around the house, and for some reason, in her guest bedroom.  
  
Aina had taught Nozomi everything she knew about the art of tattooing at her own studio,  _ Brilliant Wave _ . Nozomi had actually known about Aina’s work before becoming her apprentice - many late nights after university seemed to end with Nozomi standing in front of  _ Brilliant Wave’s  _ doors, watching the woman draw or rearrange her ink bottles.  
  
After graduating from university, Nozomi spend months and months of practicing on pigskin. This led to the decisive moment that Nozomi was ready to perform her first tattoo on Aina, who preferred to be called ‘Kussun,’ for some weird reason. Nozomi was able to apply all the visual art rules into her apprenticeship with Kussun’s help. The older woman was able to teach in such a way that Nozomi’s talent blossomed instantly. Sure enough, Nozomi was a tattoo artist in no time, but decided to still work at Kussun’s studio for a year, and in that time, saved up to start her own.   
  
Nozomi ran over her teacher's history in her mind as she sat in her hoodie and bra opposite Kussun and the woman, who revealed herself to be named Yoshino. Turquoise eyes fell upon that very tattoo on her master’s wrist - the butterfly made of glass.  
  
Kussun’s own tattoo collection was rather scattered, as she preferred to not stick to one particular style. Her left arm consisted of ribbons and bows that laced around down to her wrists, and her right arm was a mixture of dot-work on her bicep and a chain of lilies circling her lower forearm. Her legs were exposed, due to the shorts she was wearing, to reveal the ballet slipper outline on her feet and ankles.   
  
“So, you want to tell me why the hell you were smoking a mixture of drugs outside of your store?” Kussun raised an eyebrow as Nozomi picked up her tea. They had relocated to the living room. Nozomi bit her lip, feeling like a schoolgirl who just caught making trouble by her favourite teacher.   
  
“...Stress” was the response Nozomi gave while she averted her eyes. Kussun snorted and took a sip of tea, while a small, curly-coated dog jumped onto her lap. Kussun scratched behind the dog’s ears.  
  
“Did you know there’s a search party looking for you?”  
  
Nozomi froze, blood running cold. Kussun’s expression was etched with a slight smugness.  
  
“That blondie of yours has been looking for you all night.”  
  
Nozomi felt her heart sink. Eli didn’t deserve this, and she sure as hell didn’t deserve Nozomi after what the artist just did. She shut her eyelids and grit her teeth.  
  
“She is going to kill me.”  
  
“That she is. You snagged a real winner there, Non-tan,” Kussun smiled from behind her tea cup. The former apprentice felt herself grow smaller and smaller - Eli was far too good for her.  
  
“Wait, blonde?” Yoshino perked up. Kussun nodded.  
  
“Non-tan has been dating Ayase Eli for...how long now? Eighty-four years?”  
  
“Four, actually,” Nozomi’s voice was lifeless as realization dawned on Yoshino’s face.  
  
“ _That_ Ayase Eli! She’s lovely,”  
  
“How many blondes do you know?” Kussun raised an eyebrow, but Yoshino ignored her and kept talking.  
  
“She was such a talented ballet dancer, just like this one,” she nudged the older artist’s arm. Kussun shook her head with a small smile, then snapped back to Nozomi.  
  
“You’re an absolute donghead, Non-tan. I can’t believe you still did that awful thing. Are you still smoking cigarettes, too?”  
  
“Trying to quit, Elichi shoved an e-cigarette down my throat,” Nozomi mumbled. To be fair to Eli, Nozomi  _ did  _ feel a lot more lighter than usual since she stopped inhaling pure nicotine.   
  
Nozomi’s eyes moved to another photo on the coffee table. It had Kussun and Yoshino, both wearing white and smiling happily at the camera.   
  
“Wait, you got  _ married?! _ ” Nozomi shot back to her tattoo master. Kussun grinned, and raised her tiny third finger, revealing an thin, intricate designs that swirled around her entire finger. Nozomi looked from Kussun’s finger down to the ballet instructor’s hand, and also noticed that her ring finger had the same design.  
  
“And you got it tattooed, wow,” Nozomi kicked herself back into the couch with raised eyebrow. Kussun waggled her own eyebrows and took Yoshino’s hand in her own.  
  
“I’ve been married for three years now, Non-tan.”  
  
“And you never bothered to tell me?”    
  
“That's beside the point,” her voice was curt, face full of disappointment. It hit Nozomi hard, seeing Kussun disappointed in her was awful, and it made it worse that she was disappointed in  _ her _ .  
  
“The tattoo industry gets a bad enough reputation without you slapping a sign over yourself that just screams  _ look at me! I’m a druggie who puts ink in your skin for a living!  _ Honestly, Non-tan, what  _ were  _ you thinking?!”  
  
“I wasn’t,” It was Nozomi’s turn to avert her gaze. It was true - it was a stupid action that was inflicted by rage and stupidity. Kussun was right, she wasn’t doing herself any favours by getting high outside of her shop.   
  
“Was there a reason as to why you decided to inhale some stupid combination of weed  _ and  _ ice?”  
  
“Erena never told me it was ice in the mix,” that would explain the extreme hallucinations, and the fact that she wasn’t feeling a hundred percent currently. The artist felt disgusting, and her insides started to churn. If it were regular weed, that’d be a different story.   
  
“This is why you should  _ never  _ get weed from some low-life ever again,” Kussun scolded, her brows angling down.  
  
“What possessed you to do that, anyway?”  
  
“I’m up shit creek,” Nozomi answered flatly, folding her arms and locking her gaze with her tattoo master’s. Instantly, Kussun’s eyes went wide at the sudden revelation.  
  
“How so?”  
  
Nozomi explained everything that had happened, and Yoshino’s face fell at the recount, clearly sympathetic towards the younger artist. Kussun frowned in thought, tapping her chin with her left hand.  
  
“You didn’t sign the form? And that’s it?”  
  
“That’s it,” Nozomi sighed while she leaned back into the cushions. Kussun looked into her tea cup before speaking.  
  
“Is the lawyer any good?”  
  
“I think she is?” Nozomi squinted one eye, still not entirely sure.  
  
“I need to get an appointment to go over our very little evidence to tackle the shit-bat.”  
  
“When was your meeting?” Kussun asked, ignoring the language that came out of her former apprentice’s mouth. Nozomi’s mouth went slack in thought - she honestly couldn’t remember.  
  
“I...um…”  
  
“Tell you what,” Kussun picked up her tea in her left hand.   
  
“When you get the date for your next meeting, bring me along.”  
  
Nozomi nearly bit her tongue. Kussun must have read Nozomi’s mind with some instant telepathy because she continued speaking and answered all of Nozomi’s questions and retorts.  
  
“I have been a tattoo artist far longer than you, Non-tan. Like you, I am also a business woman and care for my apprentice. You don’t think I’ve dealt with someone trying to mess with my business before?”  
  
Nozomi made to open her mouth, but Kussun was too quick, “Not to mention I  _ am  _ a very reliable source for your skills and professionalism. Also, it seems like you can barely stand on your own two feet in a courthouse without caving for a joint to whinge over.”  
  
Nozomi’s mouth dropped open, as if Kussun had just slapped her in the face.  
  
“Let’s be honest, Non-tan. You need my help, rather than want it.”  
  
It was extremely irritating, but the older artist was right. Nozomi needed all the help she could get. She ran a hand over her face and let out a soft groan.  
  
“I hate it when you’re right.”  
  
“You and me both,” Yoshino grinned next to her wife. The two artists laughed at the comment, although it was painful for Nozomi. That had been the first time she had genuinely laughed in who knows how long.   
  


* * *

 

Nozomi had moved to the dining table from the couch, staring at her tarot deck nervously. She wrung her hands together while Kussun sat opposite her, holding the dog named Chip and running her nails through this curly coat.  
  
“You’re going to pull some?” Kussun asked as Yoshino took out her phone and went into a room that Nozomi could only assume was the master bedroom of the place.  
  
“May as well,” The younger artist sighed, and drew her first card.  
  
Hanged Man.  
  
Nozomi quirked an eyebrow up at the card. She set the card down and racked her brains as to what that could mean. It was hard since her head was still throbbing from her stupidity the past night. All she could think of was the suspense that loomed over her of going home to a very anxious and very angry Eli. She wiggled her fingers and pulled another card, ignoring the purring from the fluffy cat that had jumped onto the couch behind her.  
  
Judgement.  
  
“See, _that_ makes sense,” she murmured - going to court and dealing with all of that formed a perfect connection. Kussun peered at the card and snorted.  
  
“I don’t know the first thing about your heart-of-the-cards crap, but even I know what it means.”  
  
Nozomi ignored her words and pulled her last card with baited breath.  
  
The Chariot.  
  
“...huh?” She was stumped. Genuinely stumped. What the hell? Surely for the first time in her twenty-six years of living the cards were wrong. Nozomi had _no_ control over her life, so what the hell is the chariot doing, grinning up at her like some child staring at an animal in a zoo? It didn’t make any sense, but she had to accept the card would play in an importnat part in her future.  
  


* * *

 

Yoshino had called Eli to tell her that Nozomi was ‘in their custody.’ Nozomi couldn’t help but feel like a child that had run away at a shopping centre, and was currently in the care of centre management.   
  
“So you knew people were looking for me, and you didn’t tell them I’m with you?” Nozomi failed to see the logic in her tattoo master’s actions.   
  
“How many people would believe me if I said I took you home while you were having a bad trip? What would the police think of that?”  
  
Nozomi fell silent as Yoshino got ready for work.  
  
“You don’t want a lift to the ballet studio?” Kussun asked her wife, who was putting on her coat and taking the fluffy cat that woke Nozomi up off of her leg.  
  
“No, it’s fine. The walk will be refreshing,” Yoshino managed to remove the cat like a velcro strip and plopped it onto the table in front of Kussun.  
  
“Take care of Mugi, and don’t forget to walk Chip,” she stroked the dog’s head lightly, clearly seeming to be happy that the cat and dog weren’t fighting like the stereotype.  
  
“See you tonight,” she kissed her wife’s cheek, and bid farewell to Nozomi. She stopped at the door, and turned around to smile at the younger tattoo artist.  
  
“You should drop by the ballet studio sometime. Some people find it relaxing.”  
  
With that, she left. Nozomi blinked after her as Kussun let out a chuckle.  
  
“Emphasis on  _ some. _ ”  
  
“You didn’t find it relaxing?” Nozomi raised her teacup to her lips. Kussun shrugged, “I still enjoy ballet, but there was no point in doing it professionally.”  
  
Nozomi remembered the stories Kussun had told her about her days as a ballet dancer. It was such a shame that the prejudice towards those with body modifications couldn’t be helped in  _ any  _ industry.   
  
“I sometimes help out at the studio, but only when I have five seconds to myself,” Kussun explained, stroking the dog’s head again.  
  
“Plus, the children love Chip when he comes to visit, don’t they buddy?” she cooed down at the little brown dog. Nozomi couldn’t help but smile down at the little dog. He had been apart of Kussun’s life for some time, but didn’t seem to remember Nozomi at all.   
  
“So, do you want a lift home?” Kussun asked her former apprentice.   
  
“I guess that’d be handy,” Nozomi sighed and put down her teacup. It had been a rather long time since the two had been in a car together.   
  
“Great! Now put on your clothes on and let’s head out. I still need to work today,” Kussun smiled and stood up, pointing to the guest bedroom Nozomi was in last night.   
  
The younger artist looked down, realising that she was only in her underwear, bra and hoodie, and let a grin quirk onto her face.  
  
“You sure you don’t want me in this?” She suggestively crossed one leg over the other. Kussun’s face fell.  
  
“I am married and you will be a dead woman when you get back to Eli. For the love of all that’s good in the world, put your damn clothes on,” she deadpanned, getting a chuckle out of Nozomi. 

  
  



	40. Power For Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The doghouse can be fun when it has flowers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus tap-dancing Christ in a bikini, forty chapters. FORTY. CHAPTERS. 
> 
> Power For Life- Kusuda Aina

Upon getting dressed, Nozomi followed Kussun to her blue _Mini_ that was parked in the driveway. Kussun had given up trying to keep Chip inside the house, so she just carried him to the car and told Nozomi to get into the shotgun seat first.  
  
“You're his seat,” she said, not giving Nozomi a choice to respond as she plopped the small, curly-coated dog on her lap. The little brown eye stared up at Nozomi as she awkwardly rubbed his back.

* * *

 

  
Nozomi concluded that there was no stairway to heaven. There was a stairway to her ultimate demise, that’s for sure, which she re envisioned the steps to her apartment to be. She trudged up, awkwardly shuffling her hands in her jacket’s pocket and gnawing on her e-cigarette.  
  
“So, you ready to accept your death?” Kussun placed a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder, even though she was shorter than her apprentice. Nozomi let out a sigh as she fumbled for the keys to her apartment, knowing exactly the response she was going to get.  
  
Thirty seconds into the search for her keys, Kussun shoved in front of Nozomi and rapped her knuckles on the door.  
  
“K-Kussun!” Nozomi hissed at her former teacher’s action. Sure enough, footsteps rushed to the door, and it was thrown open to reveal a dishevelled head of blonde hair.  
  
Ayase Eli look as though she hadn’t slept and was thrown into a sewer. Her shirt was rolled up and stained, her hair was down and matted, and her face glistened with tear-stains to match her shirt. The blue eyes were bloodshot red, and the hand resting on the wall revealed nails that were uneven and gnawed.  
  
The sight made Nozomi’s heart sink, her face fell and blood ran cold. Kussun just smiled and placed a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder gain, eyes twinkling.  
  
“Hello Eli-chan! It’s been a while,” she spoke as though they had run into each other in the street. She tightened her grip on Nozomi’s shoulder slightly as those blood-shot blue eyes glistened with fresh tears at the sight.  
  
“I believe this one belongs to you,” with that said, Nozomi sheepishly looked at Eli, after casting a glance at Kussun. The older artist pushed Nozomi forward, and Eli let out shaky breaths.  
  
“She’s alive and in one piece, which is better than the alternative.”  
  
_‘Wow, that’s blunt,’_ Nozomi thought as Eli’s breath hitched in her throat. She threw herself into Nozomi and wrapped her arms so tightly around her, that Nozomi could feel her rib cage being crushed. Eli was sobbing so hard that Nozomi was barely able to make out what was coming from her mouth.  
  
“You had me worried sick...you...you stupid…” Eli’s choked sobs rang out in Nozomi’s ears as her grip tightened on the tattoo artist. Kussun continued to smile like there was nothing wrong, and let Chip make circles around her legs.  
  
“Well then, Eli-chan, I have delivered your Non-tan back to you, safe and sound, so I will be taking my leave. I hope you’ve learnt you lesson to never smoke mixed weed again.”  
  
“Huh?!” Nozomi snapped her head up to look over at her former teacher. Eli’s head whipped back so fast that Nozomi was sure she had given herself whiplash.  
  
“Drugs?!”  
  
"The one and only disgusting substances. Well, that and smoking," Kussun bent down to pick up Chip in her arms. She then adjusted him so that he was in one arm, and pulled out her phone with her free hand. She hummed.   
  
“It's nearly 11am, and I have to open my own studio today. Heaven forbid that I be late for that.”  
  
“You’re just going to dump me and run?!” Nozomi snapped, but Kussun ignored her. The older artist was paying more attention to the seething anxiety that was practically radiating from Eli.  
  
“You were out all night doing _drugs?!_ ”  
  
“Let me know the dates for your appointment with the lawyer, and I’ll come along,” Kussun blew a kiss towards Nozomi and winked.  
  
“See you then, Non-tan!”  
  
“K-Kussun!” the purple-haired woman called after the artist, who was already jumping down the stairs back to her car, waving over her shoulder. Her footsteps got softer and softer, and the sound of a car starting was when Nozomi realised that Kussun had - indeed- dumped her and ran.

* * *

  
It was just Eli and Nozomi. She artist sheepishly looked at Eli, whose whole face was red now, eyes watering again.  
  
“N-Now, before you say anything-” Nozomi started, but Eli had released her from the embrace and clamped her hand around Nozomi’s wrist and dragged her soulmate into the apartment, kicking the door shut behind her with an immense force.  
  
Nozomi was thrown onto the couch and under Eli’s red gaze. It was like staring down the barrell of a gun.  
  
“Your only message to me was a _fucking_ emoji!” Eli’s cracked instantly, her hands were stiffened into claws as she stared down at her soulmate. Nozomi instantly felt the regret, not that she didn’t already.

“Do you have _any_ idea how worried I was?! I got everyone to help me look for you!”  
  
“Elichi-”  
  
“NO!” She interrupted Nozomi, firing the metaphorical gun.  
  
“You shut your mouth and listen to me!”  
  
Instantly, Nozomi fell silent. Eli took a long, shaking breath through her nose and grit her teeth while she spoke.  
  
“You sent me a _single_ emoji yesterday, you didn’t even bother to tell me where you were, you ignored the texts Umi sent you…” Her voice trailed off as another hitch happened in her throat. Tears started to spill down her face like a waterfall as she tried to form words.  
  
“You...you could have been kidnapped...or killed...or _worse!_ ” Eli picked up a pillow from the couch and smacked it right into the side of Nozomi’s head. The latter cradled her cheek after the impact.  
  
“I’m sorry, Elichi!”  
  
“Don’t you _Elichi_ me!” The blonde spat and pulled out her phone and went to her messages. Her voice was wavering drastically.   
  
“You don’t even know how late we all stayed out! Kotori and Umi were up at your shrine until one in the morning! And _you_ were mixing drugs!”  
  
Nozomi’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe that Kotori and Umi, who had bigger things to worry about, had spent such a long time in the freezing winter night at a shrine to see if she had gone there to seek out help.  
  
“I...didn’t mix them…” Her voice was small, making Eli snort and fold her arms.  
  
“Honoka and Maki went to your store and searched the entire neighbourhood for you!”  
  
“They...went to _Lily White?_ ” Nozomi managed to get that passed her lips as Eli’s gaze practically drilled through her own eyes.  
  
“Yes...they went to the studio...they were so w-worried about…” She didn’t finished her scolding, because fresh tears were starting to fall. Nozomi reached out her left hand to pull Eli down onto the couch tenderly.  
  
Eli made no resistance as she landed on Nozomi’s lap. She winced slightly as Eli curled her fingers into her shoulder for support, nails digging into her skin. “I can’t live without you Nozomi, and I thought you had left…”  
  
Eli raised her head from Nozomi’s shoulder and resumed her icy glare. Her lips were pursed in irritation.  
  
“You’re lucky that you’ve closed your store for the week, because you will be under my surveillance for the next week.”  
  
“E-Excuse me?” Nozomi couldn’t be any more confused. Eli smacked her hand over Nozomi’s lips to get her to stop talking, and raised her other hand to extend her first finger into the air.  
  
“I will not attend your meetings with your lawyer, but I _will_ be taking you to work with me.”  
  
“Elichi, you c-”  
  
“I _can_  and I _will,_ ” Eli interrupted Nozomi with a fierce scowl. Nozomi bit her lip.  
  
“I’m...so sorry Elichi...really I am.”  
  
“You should be,” Eli lowered her head to curl into Nozomi, seeming to ignore the fact that she was taller than the tattoo artist.  
  
“I was so worried for you…You idiot…”

 

* * *

Sunday morning did not come any slower. Eli slapped the alarm with a shaky hand and groaned while she sat up. Her blonde hair was tousled over her shoulders as she looked down at Nozomi, who seemed to be staring at the wall. 

“You’re awake already,”  
  
Nozomi blinked to turn her gaze onto the florist. It was followed by a shrug.  
  
“Your 8am alarm woke me up,” she mumbled while Eli leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips.  
  
“Sorry about that,” Eli moved back with a small grin, then ripped the sheets off them both.  
  
“We have to get ready. The flower store doesn’t run itself, unfortunately.”   
  
Eli led Nozomi down to _Bibi._ They stopped at the front glass door, and Eli turned to Nozomi.  
  
“I’m going to unlock the place. Stay put,” she pointed to the ground while Nozomi pulled out her e-cigarette with a nod to show that she understood.  
  
Eli turned to the face door and took a deep, shaky breath.  
  
“...Are you going to unlock it?”  
  
“Give me time, Nozomi,” Eli’s curt response coincided with her cold gaze she was currently giving the door. Eli moved her keys to the lock, trying to steel her nerves.  
  
“Elichi, don’t you do this everyday?”  
  
“I normally do it alone, smart-arse,” Eli snapped back as Nozomi let out a chuckle. It was rather cute to see Eli fumble with the lock.  
  
Nozomi watched her girlfriend take a deep breath and throw the door open. Eli hurried to the door in the back of the shop and opened that up too. She used the ball of her foot to pirouette to the right and punched in numbers to deactivate the alarm. Eli dragged herself to the front of the door and gave Nozomi the all clear to enter.  
  
The heating system was active and the lights flickered to life as Nozomi stepped into _Bibi_ .  
  
“Did you change the layout?” She noticed the daffodils and roses had switched places. Eli put down her bag and nodded with a hum.  
  
“Just a change in colour, the red on the right was getting irritating,”  Eli threw on her apron and tied it securely around herself. Upon emerging from the backroom, she saw Nozomi peering at two entwined daffodils while hugging her sketchbook. Eli’s eyes softened at the sight, moving to the counter to turn on the register.  
  
“You can draw all you want, but you’re not leaving the store,” Eli tapped the register to life and turned to see if there was a chair lying around somewhere.  
  
“I understand, Elichi,” Nozomi sighed and pulled out a pencil from her bag, along with her phone.  
  
“Can I make a phone call in your backroom please?”  
  
“Of course, you can do whatever you like here,” Eli smiled, and Nozomi gave her a quick wink as she made her way to the door.  
  
“Just don’t smoke inside the shop.”  
  
“Yes yes,” Nozomi chuckled, closing the door behind her.

 

* * *

 

When Maki showed up for her shift at _Bibi,_ she wasn’t expecting to see Nozomi sitting in the back room, staring at a pot of entwined daffodils with her tongue stuck out.  
  
“N-Nozomi?!”  
  
The tattoo artist looked up with a grin, “Hello Maki-chan!”  
  
The red-head strode right up to Nozomi and grabbed her shoulder firmly, a violet gaze boring down at her, “How are you still alive? I was certain Eli would have skinned you alive and sold you to the Russian black market,”  
  
Nozomi chuckled lightly, ignoring Maki’s nails that were digging into her shoulder, “You and me both. This is my punishment,” she gestured to herself. Maki raised an eyebrow and let go of Nozomi’s shoulder. As she took a deep breath, the aroma of flowers filled her nostrils.  
  
“How you’re even in front of me as some molecule formation still baffles me,” Maki took off her coat and got ready to put on her red apron.  
  
“What days do you work, Maki-chan?” Nozomi changed the conversation, feathering the daffodil stems.  
  
“Sundays, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. All in the afternoon. Why do you ask?” Maki tied her red apron around her waist and made to put her hair into a side ponytail. Nozomi shrugged, eyes going back to her drawing.  
  
“Just wondering.”

Maki looked down at her feet, and then awkwardly moved closer to Nozomi, extending her arms to bring the artist into an embrace. Nozomi’s head snapped up as she looked at Maki, who was now hugging her awkwardly from behind.  
  
“Y-You’re such an idiot, I don’t even know…” She mumbled into Nozomi’s back.  
  
“Honoka and I searched your studio, and you weren’t there…”  
  
Nozomi closed her eyes and sighed, “I am sorry for making you worry, Maki-chan. I promise that it will never happen again. I’m sure of it.”  
  
“You better be,” Maki detached herself from Nozomi and scowled down at her.  
  
“Because Eli’s anxious wrath is not something we can protect you from.”   


* * *

“Maki, can you water the roses please?” Eli asked the causal worker while she peered down at the folder of reports Nico had left for her to sign. Typical Nico, she would get everything ready, but never actually _do_ the paperwork - and there was a lot of it. Eli’s eye twitched as she let out a long sigh. It was going to take _forever_.

“Nico-chan said she didn’t want to go into the contract on the bottom,” Maki seemed to have read Eli’s mind.  
  
The blonde huffed in annoyance, sifting through the stack of papers within the folder, and pulled out the three pages stapled together from the bottom of the pile. Flicking through it, she noticed that there were no signs of anyone even touching it.  
  
“Nico has Nico Nii’d her last Nico,” Eli muttered under her breath. She snatched the contract off the counter and stormed off into the back room.   


“What did Niccochi do now?” Nozomi didn’t even look up from her sketchbook as Eli slapped the contract down on the table in an blizzard of fury.  
  
“Not her job, that’s for sure,” Eli’s gritted teeth didn’t make the response very clear. She quickly read through the contract, and then pulled out a pen from her apron to sign the line at the bottom.  
  
What stopped her was a glance at Nozomi’s sketchbook: Eli knew Nozomi was renowned for her bright flower designs, as well as her intricate classical style, but what was on the paper really did blow Eli’s mind. It was a woman’s face, with makeup like that of a skull, surrounded by vines and flowers blooming. Nozomi had taken out her colour pencils to and was starting to to over the white areas with green.  
  
“Wow,” Eli’s anger vanished instantly, gazing at the drawing in awe. Nozomi sensed her looking, and smiled, “I draw what I love: flowers and women,”  
  
“Not death? She’s skeletal,” Eli jabbed lightly, and Nozomi laughed.  
  
“It’s makeup, Elichi. She’s painted like a Calavera,” the artist explained, and Eli tore her eyes away from the drawing and back down at the contract.  
  
An idea struck Eli straight away.  
  
“Nozomi,” she lowered her voice and placed a hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder. Nozomi looked up, blinking.  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“I haven’t told you this yet, but I’m thinking of...well,” Eli pushed the contract towards Nozomi, and the turquoise gaze flickered down to skim through the fine print.  
  
“...A delivery van? In Tokyo?” Nozomi looked back up at Eli with a small grin.  
  
“Elichi, the streets of Tokyo are a mean place for such a pretty girl like yourself to be driving on,”  
  
“Not _me..._ yet…” Eli’s cheeks were grazed with a blush, her fingers making small circles around the paper.  
  
“The delivery van will have one sole purpose: deliver flowers to clients. I’m also thinking of maybe employing someone with a driver’s licence to drive it, since it will take me some time to learn how to drive.”  
  
“You _really_ want to buy a van that badly?” Nozomi’s wry smile was not going to change Eli’s ming. She ignored her soulmate’s query and pointed to the contract again.  
  
“The contract says that the van will be mine to own, which means I can do anything I want it interior and exterior. Obviously, I’m going to have to modify the insides to make is suitable for transporting flowers, but I had a thought about the exterior.”  
  
“Do tell,” Nozomi placed her chin on top of her clasped hands. Eli looked down at the drawing again.  
  
“Would you want to design something for the exterior?”  
  
Nozomi’s eyebrows flew into her bangs. She had never had a design opportunity outside of university. Eli smiled softly, “I know that you draw and tattoo flowers better than anyone else,”  
  
Nozomi hummed, excitement radiating from her.  
  
“If you give me the measurements of the van, I’m more than happy to draw up some things for you, Elichi,” Nozomi smiled, and her phone screen lit up next to her sketchbook. She picked up the phone and read the message.  
  
“I will design something for you today, because tomorrow is a meeting with Nitta.”  
  
“Thank you,” Eli hugged Nozomi and kissed her temple, enjoying the warmth she emitted.  
  
Eli had a feeling that designing her van’s exterior would provide her with an alternative creative outlet while her business’s problems were being tackled with. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What Nozomi was drawing: http://www.curiosityshoptattoo.com/hannahs-portfolio/s65qigf8jyn6aserdgq5zawwtj1xp3
> 
> Hey thanks for all the comments! I really do appreciate them :3 <3


	41. Another Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's turning into Nozomi's roast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early update for everyone! I'm going to be in the bubble pit for the next week fighting for Nozza so have this until I return from war ^.^
> 
> Another Way Out - Hollywood Undead

There was a knock at the door come Monday morning. Nozomi would honestly rather face Eli’ anxious wrath than deal with the sea dragon that was on the other side of the door. She was seriously contemplating abseiling out of her bedroom window with her bed-sheet for support, but she forgot that Umi was also a trained archer.  
  
Nozomi just had to bite the bullet and open the door. There was Umi, standing in a navy blue blazer over a white shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and all of her piercings were present.  
  
The look in her brown eyes reminded Nozomi of a sniper, and her lips were straight, no sign of emotion. Nozomi felt as though she was staring at a snake - any sudden movement and she’d be dead.  
  
The two just stood there, staring at each other. The only noise was the heating. Finally, Nozomi spoke first.  
  
“Umi-chan, g-”  
  
She didn’t finish her greeting. Umi raised her tattooed hand and struck Nozomi across the cheek in one swift movement. The sound echoed, and Nozomi didn’t even have time to register what had happened until the stinging pain creeped through her senses.  
  
“Kotori was crying the entire car ride home at one in the morning,” Umi’s voice was low and dangerous. Nozomi could do nothing but blink.  
  
“We were out all night looking for you, and you had the _nerve_ …” Umi didn’t continue, she just looked at the ground with utter disgust. Her piercings glinted when she shot her glare back up into Nozomi’s eyes.  
  
“I’m trying to force myself to look at you…”  
  
Nozomi felt as though Umi shot an arrow into her heart. Umi, one of her closest friends, was genuinely angry at her - and she deserved to be. Nozomi blinked slowly, and then shrugged.  
  
“You’re also an idiot,” Umi deadpanned.  
  
“I am aware,” Nozomi grinned lightly.  
  
“A brainless halfwit,”  
  
“Yes indeed”  
  
“A very bad influence”  
  
“On the money with that one”  
  
“Not to mention you lack self-respect and any common sense,”  
  
“Was that everything, Umi-chan?”

“You’re riding in the backseat,” Umi deflated and folded her arms. The koi fish swimming upstream on her arm. She stared at Nozomi’s attire, not expecting her to wear white shirt, a black sweater on top with a red tartan skirt.  
  
“...You’ve been listening to punk music again, haven’t you?” Umi raised an eyebrow as Nozomi threw on a leather jacket.  
  
“You bet,” the tattoo artist winked back at the piercer, who only sighed softly.  
  
“You look like a delinquent school girl,”  
  
“And you look like my teacher who also doubles as a phone-sex operator,” Nozomi took in Umi’s attire with twinkling eyes. Umi blushed furiously, brows furrowing.  
  
“Hurry up, we need to pick up Rin. Is Kusuda meeting us there?”  
  
“Yes she is,” Nozomi picked up her bag and lit her e-cigarette, then skipped out the door.

 

* * *

Nozomi stayed in the car while Umi went into Rin’s place. The white leather of the backseat rubbed against her stockings awkwardly. Nozomi leaned out the window, puffing out the synthetic smoke as her mind wandered off.

The artist was snapped out of her wispy thoughts by the her apprentice climbing into the backseat and grabbing her shoulders.  
  
“Rin-chan!?”  
  
Rin began to shake Nozomi violently. Her eyes were glazed, and she was blinking a lot. Her eyebrow piercing twitched with the motion.  
  
“YOU’RE A FUCKING IDIOT!”  
  
“I know! But this hurts!” Nozomi tried to pry the ginger’s hands away, but Rin was far stronger, despite being younger. Her flannel sleeves were rolled up, to expose the tattoos of koi fish and cats on her arms.   
  
“YOU HAD ME UP ALL NIGHT IN PANIC ATTACKS, DAMMIT!”  
  
“I’M SORRY!” Nozomi wailed, losing all self control and swatting Rin in the face. Her voice was wavering from being shaken so violently.  
  
“Rin, get off Nozomi, she’s not worth it,” Umi’s cold words struck deep, and Rin turned to glare at the piercer.  
  
“ _You_ were out all night looking for this dipshit and you’re going to _defend_ her?!”  
  
“Believe me, I want to kill her three times over, but she _is_ our boss and we need her alive for this mess,” Umi placed a hand on Rin’s shoulder and yanked her back away from the cowering Nozomi.  
  
Rin gave Nozomi one final glare, then yanked the e-cigarette out of Nozomi’s mouth.  
  
“Hey!”  
  
“Shut up, I need a puff after dealing with you,” Rin settled herself in the shotgun seat, legs up and arms folded, and took a long drag. Umi had untangled herself from the cluster in the tiny car and sat in the driver’s seat.  
  
"Rin, you are not to kill Nozomi. I will not kill her, so neither will you," Umi turned to look at the youngest person in the car. Rin grumbled, her face stuck in a permenant sour expression as she blew out smoke from the e-cigarette.  
  
Umi inhaled a few deep breaths to ensure she had the right mind space before starting the car.  
  
"Can I have my e-cigarette back please, Rin-chan?"  
  
Nozomi's small voice made Rin peg the device back at Nozomi.  
  
"You're such a shit, Senpai."

 

* * *

 

Kusuda Aina, sitting cross-legged on the orange couch, was looking through her phone when Nozomi, Umi and Rin showed up. Nozomi saw her blue _Mini_ outside the law firm, which made Umi whine, because trying to find a decent parking spot was an absolute nightmare.

“You took Umi-chan’s spot,” Nozomi sat down next to Kussun, and Umi and Rin bowed politely. They had never met Kussun before, but Rin had done her research.  
  
The apprentice was currently ignoring Nozomi, and sat on Kussun’s other side while Umi checked in with the receptionist.  
  
“So, you’re still in the doghouse, Non-tan?” Kussun ignored Nozomi’s earlier quip and turned the page of her magazine.  
  
“Eli-chan looked extremely upset to see you on your own doorstep like some lost dog.”  
  
Nozomi ignored this and pulled out her phone with a short sigh. Rin ogled Kussun’s dotwork on her arms.  
  
“Kusuda-sama, is dot-work really difficult?”  
  
Kussun looked at the apprentice with a smile, “It’s just time consuming, Rin-chan. Has Non-tan not taught you that yet?”  
  
“It’s only been a few months,” Rin scratched the back of her head, feeling her undercut that was turning rather fluffy from her hair growing back.  
**  
** “I’m currently learning the basics on pigskin, and I’ve been working on small designs. Nozomi-senpai is making me do characters from the Japanese alphabet, and Kanji. Lot’s of Kanji, actually.”  
  
Kussun raised an eyebrow and a sly grin curled onto her lips.  
  
“She’s doing what I did with her. Smart girl, getting you to start on Kanji. I’m guessing it’s so you don’t make the same mistake she did.”  
  
Rin’s eyes shone, just as Umi took a seat next to her. Nozomi instantly stiffened up.  
  
“What did she do?” Rin ignored Nozomi trying to change the subject with something about documents. Kussun held up a hand to silence the artist.  
  
“A rather large man came into the store one day, and wanted the kanji for something or rather, but she did the wrong Kanji.”  
  
“Did she now?” Rin’s expression was akin to that of the Cheshire cat. Kussun nodded, “Yes. Now, the foreigner is walking around with the Kanji for ‘dumb swift’ on his back.”  
**  
**_**THUNK**_  
  
Nozomi’s phone plummeted to the ground. Her blood ran cold while Rin let out howls of laughter. Umi held a hand over her mouth to stifle her chuckles. Kussun looked over at Nozomi, who had turned a bright red.  
  
“Non-tan is lucky that it was a foreigner.”  
  
Rin let out more howls of laughter, and Nitta walked out of her office with a smile on her face.  
  
“Good morning! Glad to see you all seem rather chipper.”

-  
  
The office had not changed in anyway since the last time they visited. Kussun introduced herself to Nitta, and the two began talking like parents who had picked up their children from daycare. Umi and Rin sat on either side of Nozomi again, with Umi staring daggers at the artist. Nozomi had had enough, and glanced over at the piercer.  
  
“Umi-chan, are you still angry at me?”  
  
“Of course, I’m seething with rage,” Umi’s lips quirked into a grin, making the tone of her voice seem an illusion.  
  
“But the fact that you tattooed ‘swift dumb’ onto someone is the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.”  
  
Nozomi groaned, she’d never hear the end of that. Rin was gleefully tapping at her knees, the cheshire grin plastered onto her face. Kussun stood behind Nozomi and placed a hand lazily on her shoulder, continuing the image of a parent with a delinquent child in the principal’s office. Nitta sat in her leather chair and reached under her desk. She pulled out a stack of folders and documents.  
  
“So, I did some digging since your last visit, Tojo-san.”  
  
“And?” Nozomi’s crossed her fingers. Nitta’s smile was wry.  
  
“There’s very little evidence for you to prove Hoshizora-san’s innocence. It’s very hard to combat against a document that wasn’t signed, and those suing have some powerful lawyers-”  
  
“Who’s suing again?” Kussun interrupted, ignoring _Lily White’s_ sorrowful expressions. Nitta blinked, then answered with company name.  
  
Instantly, Kussun raised an eyebrow.  
  
“So they have a right to go through private records and show them to other companies which have no relation to a body art studio whatsoever?”  
  
Nitta gulped, “W-Well, they don’t _really_ have that r-”  
  
“In turn, they are breaking the law with that.”  
  
“Y-Yes, but-”  
  
“Then we can counter their prosecution,” Kussun said matter-of-factly. Umi whirled around to look at the older artist.  
  
“B-but they’re prosecuting _us!_ ”  
  
“Umi-chan, they did something morally wrong and not to mention illegal,” Kussun had a permanent smile on her face.  
  
Rin was the next to pipe up, “Kusuda-senpai, there’s no _way_ we’d be able to counter! We have no cavalry except for Nitta-san!”  
  
“Not only is that offensive towards Nitta-san, but your analogy is wrong,” Kussun softened her tone for the youngest person in the room. Nozomi continued to frown in thought. It was a very dangerous move to counteract such big-shots, but she didn’t have any other option.  
  
“Is it possible, Nitta-san?” She asked the lawyer.  
  
“It _is,_ but we’d need to really build on that. I can have a look to see if they’ve done this to anyone else,” Nitta took out a pen and wrote down a note for herself.  
  
“Now, the other thing is we need to have a look at the past records for both of your tattoo careers,” Nitta nodded towards Nozomi and Rin.  
  
“Tojo-san, you have done a _lot_ of tattoos, but Hoshizora-san, not so much.”  
  
“That’s true,” Umi fiddled with her pierced ears again. Rin sighed, and put her head in her hands.  
  
“Yeah, I’ve only done Kayo-chin’s and Nozomi-senpai’s, not a l-”  
  
Nozomi’s heart stopped. Everything turned into white noise as her blood ran cold. Her hands started shaking as the realization dawned on her. The cone of silence stayed as she reached out to touch Rin’s shoulder.  
  
“R-Rin-chan,” she could barely say her apprentice’s name. Rin looked up, eyes blinking.  
  
“What did you just say?”  
  
“I said I’ve only done Kayo-chin’s tattoo and the one behind your ear, Senpai,” Rin moaned, not realising what she was saying. Nozomi’s mouth dropped open as she raised a shaky hand to her ear. The Russian word tucked behind her ear made her breathing shallow.  
  
'хорошо'  
  
Umi too, gasped.  
  
“Nitta-san, the tattoo Rin did on Hanayo was not her first one,” Umi explained, barely able to contain herself while Nozomi’s eyes started to glaze over and tears began to brim. The lawyer quickly scurried through the pile of documents, and stopped after five seconds. She pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the desk.  
  
“That’s is the document Non-tan signed to allow Rin-chan to tattoo,” Kussun peered at the document on the table over Nozomi’s bowed head.  
  
“There’s also this,” Nitta, who was flipping through a booklet, had found the page she was looking for and  pushed the booklet towards the other four to see.  
  
“This is a booklet regarding the standard procedure for an apprenticeship in a body art studio. Obviously, it differs, because everyone does it differently, but it does state that once the apprentice has performed a tattoo, they should be able to perform tattoos freely with _out_ their master’s supervision.”  
  
Nozomi threw her face into her hands. Umi couldn’t help but sigh with relief as Rin burst into tears. The piercer instantly tried to gain some sort of composure.  
  
“That takes some stress off this, but what about the _current_ tattoo? The form wasn’t signed by Nozomi, but it was by Hanayo.”  
  
“Umi-chan, you’re missing the point,” Kussun was reconciling Nozomi by patting on her shoulder.  
  
“Rin-chan doesn’t need Non-tan’s signature for Hanayo-chan’s tattoo, if we can find the original document of Rin-chan tattooing Non-tan. There _was_ a document, yes?”  
  
Kussun squeezed Nozomi’s shoulders.  
  
“If you forgot _that_ document, you’d be royally fucked, Non-tan.”  
  
Nozomi could only nod.  
  
“I-I can look,” Nitta quickly flew through the document pile again. Umi had made sure to give Nitta access to all of their documents prior to the meeting.  
  
The piercer placed a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder and gave a weak smile. They might be able to have some ray of hope. The tension thickened to be suffocating for them as Nitta dug through the pile of documents.  
  
She stopped, and with trembling hands, pulled out a piece of paper.  
  
“This is the document.”  
  
Rin sniffled loudly as the document was pushed over the table.  
  
“That’s Non-tan’s signature. I’d recognize that chicken scratch anywhere,” Kussun remarked with a smile. She moved from out behind the crying Nozomi to kneel next to Nitta’s desk.  
  
“The pamphlet you’ve got there also states that after the first tattoo performed by an apprentice, they are deemed able to perform tattoos with _out_ their teacher’s signature. As long as the client signs the forms, and the teacher is present, they can tattoo.”  
  
“So...I’m innocent?” Rin blubbered from behind her hands. Kussun nodded.  
  
“Yes, Rin-chan, you’re innocent.”

 

* * *

 

Rin bounded up the stairs to her apartment, and practically kicked down the door. Hanayo, in the kitchen, let out a squeak of terror when Rin bolted towards her and scooped her up into her tattooed arms.  
  
“Rin-chan?!” The childcare worker was incredibly confused as she was twirled around and placed back down on earth. Rin chuckled and hugged her tighter.  
  
“I’m innocent!” the apprentice’s voice hitched again as she buried her face into Hanayo’s shoulder.

“You’re what?!”  
  
“Innocent, nya!” Rin pointed to her own neck.   
  
“That wasn’t my first tattoo! Nozomi-senpai was my first tattoo!”  
  
Seeing the confusion on Hanayo’s face when Rin pulled back, she took her girlfriend’s hand and led her to the couch to explain. Maki had just walked in the door with Nico, and the two sat in on the explanation.

* * *

 

Umi opened the door to her home, and went downstairs into the kitchen area. Having dropped Rin and Nozomi off at their homes, she had time to think about everything in the car. The euphoria buzzed around her as she placed the car keys down on the bench.  
  
Honoka and Kotori were at the table, going over a heap of pamphlets for wedding venues.  
  
“I would love this temple, but they seem very pricey,” Kotori tapped at a blue pamphlet, and Honoka moved in to peer at the place.  
  
“Wow! It’s so pretty!” Honoka gushed. The two didn’t notice Umi slip into the kitchen and open the fridge. She took out a bottle of water, wrinkling her nose at the amount of soft drinks that Honoka had bought from the supermarket.  
  
She couldn’t keep the sour expression on her face for long, because the smile crept back onto her lips. Umi turned around and beamed at her fiance and best friend.  
  
“Oh! Umi-chan!” Honoka instantly looked up. Umi held the bottle of water tightly as she made her way to sit down at the table and kiss Kotori on the cheek.  
  
“We might be able to win the case,” she beamed brightly, and was in such a state of euphoria that she didn’t hear her phone vibrate in her pocket until Kotori pointed it out.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Spanish soap opera music plays in distance* ESCANDALO!
> 
> Also, as a heads up, every tattoo artist determines when their apprentice is ready to start tattooing differently. I'm going off what my best friend told me about being a tattoo apprentice. Everyone does it differently. 
> 
> Thanks again for the comments! I do read them all, and they warm my little wannabe-punk heart :3


	42. Dead Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotoumi are homosexual and when will Umi rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> G'day m8s, here's a quick update while I take a five-second break from the bubble pit. No update on Sunday, so this'll do for now :3 
> 
> I shall return with (hopefully) the bubble queen!

__‘Hello, you have reached Sonoda Umi. My sincerest apologies, but I am unable to take your call at the present time. Please leave me a message and your phone number, and I will call you back. Thank you.’  
  
“She’s always so formal,” Eli mumbled as the message stopped playing. She was leaving her yoga class, matt rolled up and tucked beneath her arm, when she got a phone call earlier from Nozomi. The artist explained the situation, and was going to be home late due to her staying back with Kussun to talk to the lawyer about organizing themselves for the case.  
  
“If you give Umi-chan a call, she can give you a lift home,” was what Nozomi had told Eli.  
  
Eli was now standing in the street, in her athletic wear, sending back a voicemail to Umi.  
  
“Umi, it’s Eli. Nozomi said you could give me a lift home. If that’s not the case don’t worry, I’ll talk to you later,” she hung up after leaving the message, and noticed that the message was just as formal as Umi’s.   
  
After that, Eli felt like she needed something sweet, despite having just done yoga for an hour and a half.

* * *

 

Eli found a cafe called  _ Floating Heart,  _ and popped her head through the door.  
  
“Excuse me, are you still open?” She asked the waitress, who was sipping on water through a straw.  
  
“Yes of course!”  
  
Eli smiled and sat down at a table, peering at the menu eagerly. Her phone vibrated again, and she looked down at the screen. With a little sigh, Eli unlocked her phone and brought it to her ear.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Eli! I’m so sorry I missed your call!”  
  
“Umi, it’s f-”  
  
“After the great news I took Rin straight home, then drove myself home and Kotori got me sucked into wedding plan-”  
  
“Umi, I said it’s fine,” Eli raised her voice to be heard over Umi’s apologetic babbling.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Umi sighed in defeat.  
  
“Would you like me to come collect you?”  
  
“No no, it’s okay,” Eli read through the menu again.  
  
“But while I have you, what was the date for the court session again?”  
  
“It’s this friday. Do you plan on being there?”  
  
“I think so, Nozomi needs some form of support, since the only family member she has left is prosecuting her and Rin,” Eli mumbled in annoyance. Umi sighed again.  
  
“Yes indeed, but we might be able to save ourselves. I don’t know how late Nozomi will be though.”  
  
“Yes, she  _ did  _ say she would be staying back,” Eli racked her brain to remember if there was any food left in fridge. Umi seemed to have read her mind,  
  
“If that is the case, would you like to come over and have dinner with me, Honoka and Kotori? We’re making a hot pot.”  
  
“That  _ does  _ sound good,” Eli mused upon finding the dessert she wanted to order from the waitress.  
  
“Would you like me to pick you up?”  
  
“I’m just at a cafe about to have the most ungodly, unhealthy parfait, so no thank you,” Eli chuckled, catching the waitress’s eye.  
  
“I think I’ll walk over once I’m done here. It will make me feel less ashamed of myself about what I will consume.”  
  
Umi sighed into the phone, “You’re shameless, but I’ll see you tonight, nonetheless.”   
  


* * *

 

Nozomi left the law firm with Kussun, who offered her a ride home.

“No, it’s okay, I’d rather walk in the fresh air,” Nozomi turned down the offer and pulled out the e-cigarette. She looked rather tired.  
  
“You’re contradicting your sentence with that,” Kussun smirked, eyeing the e-cigarette. Nozomi shrugged and stuck the device in her mouth.  
  
“Takes the stress away,” Nozomi responded, and then the two fell into a silence. Kussun pulled out her car keys while Nozomi bit her lip. She exhaled the smoke and turned to Kussun with a blink.  
  
“Hey,”  
  
“Yes, Non-tan?”   
  
“Am I...going to be okay in this?”  
  
Kussun’s eyebrows flew into her hair. Nozomi looked very vulnerable, with her wide, glistening eyes and anxiousness swirling around her features. Kussun sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“You have four days to gather as much evidence as you can to prove your innocence. But,” Kussun’s gaze went down for a second, then back up again.  
  
“Worst case scenario: at least  _ you  _ know you’re innocent.”  
  
Nozomi locked onto Kussun’s kind eyes, and her brow furrowed, “But won’t it be worse if we’re the only ones who know this?”  
  
“No, it’ll do the opposite,” Kussun took Nozomi’s hand and made her lean on her  _ Mini. _ She joined, folding her arms and look up at the law firm.  
  
“There’s always this sense of comfort knowing that you are not responsible. It’s hard to deal with people who see you as otherwise, but hey,” she glanced at her former apprentice and chuckled.  
  
“We’re both used to those looks by now,”  
  
Nozomi gave a small smile and looked down at her boots. It was getting dark, and Nozomi had actually lost track of the time. How long had she been in the law firm? How many documents did she go over? Her eyes were stinging, and she swore that she had developed dyslexia.  
  
Kussun, not knowing what was happening inside Nozomi’s head, shrugged and turned back to stare at the navy blanket of sky.  
  
“They’ll be really harsh on you in court, so maybe don’t dress like a naughty schoolgirl. Just some food for thought.”

 

* * *

 

Sitting opposite such a happy couple like Kotori and Umi was giving Eli an array of mixed emotions. The first thing she felt was adoration from how happy the couple seemed. Although they weren’t public in their display of affection, they simply radiated with joy for being each other’s soulmate. It was a rare sight of Kotori wearing her glasses and offering Umi a bite of her food. Umi blushed, but didn’t resist. Eli chuckled, wondering if her relationship with Nozomi would ever step towards marriage. It  _ had  _ been well over three years of being together.  
  
“Umi-chan, say ‘ah!’”  
  
“I can eat from my own plate, Kotori,” Umi awkwardly rubbed her arm, but did not resist again. Honoka let out a chuckle, diving into her own food.  
  
“Do they always do this?” Eli asked her orange-haired friend. Honoka looked at her with a mouthful of noodles and nodded.  
  
“It’s so cute though!” She managed to gasp out after she swallowed her food.  
  
“Don’t tell me you and Nozomi-chan have never fed each other.”  
  
“N-No, we do sometimes,” Eli’s cheeks were grazed with a blush, her eyes downcast at the bowl in front of her.  
  
“Oh, that reminds me,” Umi placed her serviette down on the table from wiping her mouth and looked at the florist.  
  
“How’s your navel piercing?”  
  
“Ah, it’s fine,” Eli had honestly forgotten about it. She didn’t have many body modifications, and was able to lose track of them quite easily. She had her ears pierced at the age of eighteen, completely sober, and did tear up at the pain. Her navel, on the other hand…  
  
“I still can’t believe you got completely plastered and decided to get a matching piercing with Nozomi and Kotori,” Umi sighed while her fiance giggled.  
  
Eli dipped her head again, ashamed that she couldn’t remember what happened that night. All she knew was she had woken up the next morning with Nozomi on top of her with a searing pain in her abdomen.  
  
“To be fair, Umi-chan, you  _ did  _ pierce all three of us without hesitation,” Kotori nudged Umi’s side. Honoka threw her fist into her mouth in an attempt to contain her laughter.  
  
“I-It was a regret!” Umi stuttered, furiously blushing.  
  
“So was mixing orange juice and vodka,” Eli grimaced at the few memories she had of that night. Why did others do it? It was just so tart in flavour. Not to mention she had ruined a perfectly good bottle of Smirnoff.    
  
“By the way, Eli,” Umi was quick to change the subject from their drunken shenanigans. She excused herself and went to pick up a book from the coffee table.  
  
“Kotori and myself have picked a venue for the wedding.”  
  
“Ah!” Eli peered at the book, taking in the venue.  
  
“Sagami bay?”  
  
“Yep! It’s a gorgeous area, and they do weddings a the Enoshima lighthouse. Churches and shrines...um…”  
  
“Won’t let us get married, for obvious reasons,” Umi finished Kotori’s sentence for her. Eli nodded and flicked through the book, listening to Kotori and Umi talk about their plans so far.  
  
“Would you still be okay to do the flowers?”  
  
Eli looked up at her friends. She had not forgotten, but it was a surprise to be talking about it now. With a thoughtful hum, she looked back down at the booklet.  
  
“I can, but I’ll need to know what style and choice of flowers you’d like. Will you both have bouquets?”  
  
“Just Kotori,” Umi rubbed her hands together.  
  
“I will be wearing a kimono.”  
  
“Even though it’s not in a shrine?” Eli questioned. She knew Umi would be all for a traditional wedding, seeing as she came from a very old and very traditional Japanese family. Eli only asked the question to confirm her suspicions about Umi wanting to maintain some form of tradition for her special day.  
  
“Yes. My parents would not show up otherwise.”  
  
_ ‘That’s harsh,’  _ Eli thought, tucking a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. Umi shrugged and pointed to the lighthouse.  
  
“You’re more creative with colours than I am, would you be able to design a bouquet and scheme to match the lighthouse?”  
  
Eli took in the design: it wouldn’t be impossible to coordinate some flowers to go with their venue, but it would take some time. Even if only a few select people were being invited to the wedding, a job like this would consume a tonne of time.

“I can do it, but I’d really like you tow to drop by the shop sometime and we can sort it out with a visual references and a sizing chart,” Eli smiled at her friends. Kotori beamed and placed her hands over Eli’s.  
  
“Thank you so much Eli-chan!”  
  
Honoka had gotten up while they were discussing all things floral, and returned to the table with three glasses and a whole bottle of baileys.  
  
“Here’s cheers to Umi getting her butt saved and Eli getting to play with flowers!”  
  


* * *

 

It was a bad decision. Correction, it was the  _ worst  _ decision. Kotori and Eli decided to see who could hold their liquor more, and between them, downed two bottles of baileys and got through half of a champagne. Umi and Honoka had to separate them before they could start making out, and the piercer dragged the blonde to her car. Honoka held back Kotori with all of her strength.  
  
“We’ll be reunited s-soon my love!”  
  
“I’ll wait for you, my songbird!”  
  
“Just get in the car, Eli,” Umi unlocked the  _ fiat  _ and pushed Eli into the passenger seat and locked her in with the seatbelt. She was a very responsible driver, and knew this would happen. Therefore she had passed on Honoka’s baileys offer.  
  
Whenever Kotori and Eli were around and alcohol was involved, literally nothing would stop them from downing every beverage that they could get their grubby hands on. Umi knew Kotori only had eyes for her, but drunk Kotori would always try to get into drunk Eli’s pants. Nozomi was aware to this, but didn’t bother to stop it, and would often cheer from the sidelines while Umi separated the two borderline alcoholics.  
  
“You’re Russian, you should be able to hold your liquor better than Kotori,” Umi mumbled, turning on the car and flicking the headlights to life. Eli didn’t respond, and was pawing at the window.  
  
“M-My Songbird,” Eli sniffled, and drunkenly slumped herself against the door. Umi made sure to lock the door and window incase the florist did anything stupid.


	43. Lautar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli disgraces the motherland and for the love of God SOMEONE SAVE UMI. 
> 
> Lautar - Pasha Parfeny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned from the bubble pit with my three Nozzas! I pronounce myself the Bubble Queen™ 
> 
> Also, big big BIG shoutout to @doodlefox2 on tumblr for SOME FREAKING AMAZING DRAWINGS LIKE HOLY SHIT MATE HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!!

 

 

Umi drove to Eli’s apartment, and saw a light on. Nozomi was clearly home. She pulled on Eli’s hands to lead her up the cold staircase and made an attempt to get into her bag for keys to the place. Eli kept swatting her away like some giant child, so Umi gave up and knocked on the door.  
  
“Nozomi!”   
Footsteps came from the other side, and the door opened to reveal Nozomi with her hair down in pyjamas, e-cigarette dangling out of the corner of her mouth. She blinked at the scene in front of her: Umi with her arm wrapped around a slumped Eli. Both were red in the face, but one was clearly sober.  
  
Nozomi raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Oh now the tables have turned.”  
  
“That was uncalled for,” Umi snapped back while Nozomi chuckled and moved to the side to allow the piercer to bring the drunken florist into the apartment.  
  
“What’s the damage?”  
  
“Two baileys and half a bottle of champagne.”  
  
“Kotori-chan won, didn’t she?”  
  
“She _always_ wins,” Umi sighed, leaving the whining blonde on the couch and straightening out her own clothes.  
  
“Here’s your other half. I’ll be back here at 9:25 tomorrow morning to pick you up.”  
  
“Ah yes, more meetings,” Nozomi flicked through her tarot deck and puffed down the synthetic smoke.  
  
“Umi-chan, just before you go,” Nozomi flipped over a card from the top of the deck and flung it towards Umi, who caught it in one swift movement. The piercer turned over the card and blushed.  
  
“Sh-shameless!”  
  
“The cards are never wrong, Umi-chan,” Nozomi winked, taking the lovers card back from Umi.  
  
“I’ll see myself out,” Umi gave a quick bow, then stormed out of the apartment.  
  
“Drive safely!”  
  
“M-My ocean!!” Eli whined from the couch, her cheek resting against the arm. Nozomi sighed and placed the card back onto the bottom of the deck.  
  
“Looks like Niccochi will have to open the store for you tomorrow,” Nozomi sat down next to her girlfriend and brush blonde bangs out of her hazy, unfocused eyes.  
  
“N-No, I can open just fine~” Eli was slurring her words to the point of them being barely understandable. Nozomi sighed and lightly kissed her nose.  
  
“C’mon, Elichi, let’s get you to bed,” Nozomi stood up and offered the blonde a hand. Eli whined in protest, but did get to her feet and took Nozomi’s kanji-covered hand.  
  
“Which hand is this?” She mumbled like a child and fell into Nozomi’s embrace. The artist chuckled and smoothed the hair tie away.  
  
“This is hope, Elichi,” Nozomi gently led the stumbling Eli toward the bedroom. They barely got to the door before Eli halted.  
  
“Nozomi,”  
  
The artist turned around at the sound of her name. Eli’s blush had spread to her ears, and her hazy eyes were still unfocused as she tried to look Nozomi dead in the eye.  
  
“Tattoo me.”  
  
Nozomi’s eyebrows flew into her hair again. With a small chuckle, she squeezed Eli’s hand.  
  
“We’ll talk about it when you’re sober.”   
  
It took more time than Nozomi thought to get Eli into her pyjamas and under the blankets. She finally managed to pin down Eli by wrapping her arms around her and stroking her blonde hair in a hypnotic pattern to get her to sleep.  
  
“Shush, Elichi, we can play in the morning,” Nozomi’s low murmuring was enough to make Eli’s eyes droop shut. Nozomi smiled and kissed her girlfriend’s forehead lightly. The drunken giggle that came from Eli made Nozomi’s heart flutter, and she drew the blonde closer to her.  
  
When she was sure Eli was fast asleep, Nozomi pulled out her phone from between her breasts and quickly sent a text to Nico.   
  
**_Nozomi, 23:58_ ** **_  
_ ** _Niccochi, you’ll need to open the store tomorrow. Elichi is going to have a pretty bad hangover._

It didn’t take long for a response

 **_Niccochi 23:59_ ** **_  
_ ** _R u serious?! What a phoney Russian. Kk I’ll get Maki in then_

Nozomi let out a soft chuckle and put her phone on the bedside table with her free arm, then returned to cuddling Eli. The florist was out like a light, but Nozomi was finding it rather hard to fall asleep herself. Her mind went for a wander about what was going to happen.  
  
_‘I’ll be in court for Friday...I’m going to have to see the man who made my childhood a living hell,’_ she thought, staring up at the ceiling. Her throat grew dry and started to clench up, and her eyes burned with tears.

 

* * *

 

Eli awoke the next morning and instantly groaned from the throbbing headache that greeted her. An unwelcome bed-guest, if you will.  
  
With a painful squint at her phone, the current time was 8:45am. With another groan, she rolled onto her back and threw the covers over her head.  
  
Someone was at the door, and Eli knew exactly who it was.  
  
“Leave me alone, Nozomi.”  
  
“Well good morning to you too, Elichi.”  
  
Another groan. Eli refused to take the blankets off while Nozomi walked into the bedroom with a glass of water and two capsules.  
  
“Take these, it will ease your hangover,” she sat down on the side of the bed and nudged the lump that was Eli with her elbow.  
  
“C’mon, you have to get up.”  
  
The third groan. Nozomi raised an eyebrow and placed the glass of water on the bedside table, next to the ashtray that had not been used for nearly a full week.  
  
“Niccochi and Maki-chan have taken your shift today. The _least_ you could do is get up,”  
  
A single hand snaked out of the sheets and waved the concern away, “I trust Nico with everything but payroll.” This was followed by the miracle of Eli actually pulling the blankets off of herself and sitting up slowly. Her long blonde hair was tangled from sleep, and her eyes were shut. Nozomi took in her girlfriend’s current state, and let a lopsided smile form on her face.  
  
“Let’s try this again. Good morning, you filthy alcoholic.”  
  
Eli didn’t open her eyes, and just let her head hang. Nozomi chuckled and placed the painkiller on the bedside table too.  
  
“I’m not going to get angry at you for showing up on the doorstep held by Umi-chan.”  
  
Blue eyes instantly snapped open.  
  
“I’m sorry, Nozomi,” Eli looked away.  
  
“Don’t be, just take the painkiller and sit up straight,” Nozomi had a teasing smile on as Eli obeyed.   
  
Eli downed the tablets with one gulp of water. With her vision focusing, she thought that it could be a good idea to bring up one of the only things she could remember from the previous night’s events.

“Hey, Nozomi?”  
  
The artist looked up, her green eyes blinking curiously. Eli stared into her glass of water and twirled a lock of blonde hair.  
  
“I...I want a tattoo.”  
  
Nozomi raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Are you still drunk?”  
  
“No-Nozomi!” Eli’s nails tapped anxiously against the glass as she looked up at her girlfriend.  
  
“I want you to tattoo me," She regained some form of composure.  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi sighed and opened her bedside drawer for the e-cigarette charger.  
  
“This is very sudden.”  
  
“I know, and I have an idea in mind,” Eli continued, and made to get her phone from her bedside table, but instantly regretted the sudden movement and groaned.  
  
“Do you now?” Nozomi grinned, clearly knowing what direction the conversation was heading. Eli nodded, giving up on the journey to her phone.  
  
“I have all the flowers in mind, and when I’m at work tomorrow, I’ll make a proper chain, take a photo, then send it to you. How much do you reckon a flower chain around my ankle will cost?”  
  
Nozomi choked on her own breath. After several coughs and banging her chest with her fist, she wheezed for a minute.  
  
“Elichi, your _ankle_ ?”  
  
“Yeah, so? I can hide it that way.”  
  
“The ankle is one of the most sensitive areas on the body to get tattooed, not to mention extremely delicate and rather tricky to tattoo.”  
  
“Nozomi, I did ballet for my entire childhood, plus i deal with thorns everyday. I think I can handle it, now how much would it cost?”  
  
“It depends on how big you want it,” Nozomi sighed and twirled the charging cable in her hand. It was so sudden that Eli had decided this, that she knew there _had_ to be some kind of trigger. But Eli seemed serious, there was a familiar glint in her eye that was identical to her expression on the day she became the manager of _Bibi_.

“I’ll tell you what, Elichi,” She raised a hand to cup Eli’s warm cheek, smiling as the florist instinctively closed her eyes.  
  
“Show me the design tomorrow, and I’ll draw up a sketch for you. I’m going to be with the lawyer everyday this week but friday, since that’s the actual court session.  
  
However,” she let out a small sigh, “If you _really_ want the tattoo by Thursday night, I will take you down to _Lily White_ and do it for you. How does that sound?”  
  
“Mmm, sounds good,” Eli mumbled, seemingly going back to sleep. Nozomi chuckled, and lightly tapped Eli’s cheek with her hand.  
  
“You can’t go back to sleep, lazy-pants.”

* * *

Nozomi answered the door when a knock came at 9:24am exactly. She knew who it was. 

“How is Eli?” Umi stuck her head in and looked around. Nozomi laughed, picking up her bag and moving one twin-tail over her shoulder.  
  
“She’s alive and in bed, so you don’t have to worry about her.”  
  
“Thank goodness,” Umi sighed and turned around rather quickly.  
  
“We better get going.”  
  
The car ride to Rin's home seemed rather stiff. Nozomi noticed Umi’s collared shirt was rather high up around her neck.  
  
She smirked.  
  
“So, how’s Kotori-chan dealing with her hangover?” Her voice was lilting slightly. Umi instantly went rigid.  
  
“She’s fine, she left for work when I left to pick you up.”  
  
“Good on her,” Nozomi crossed her legs and pulled out her sketchbook from her bag.  
  
“How was she last night when you went back home?”  
  
Umi gulped, eyes glued to the road.  
  
“Fine,” was the response. Nozomi took out her pencil, trying her best to contain her giggles.  
  
“It’s rather warm in here, Umi-chan. Are you sure you’re not boiling from your shirt?”  
  
“I’m _fine_ ,” Umi was turning red. Nozomi had to bite the inside of her cheek when Umi adjusted the collar of her shirt. For a split second, she saw a red area.  
  
“You’re a lucky woman, Sonoda-san.”  
  
That was all it took for Umi snap and let out a wail.  
  
“She just dragged me to bed! She pinned me down and started to ravish me!”  
  
Nozmoi lost it, too. The snorts of laughter that she had kept inside for the past few minutes were overflowing as Umi’s face fell.  
  
“She destroyed my neck and nibbled on my ears!”  
  
“I’m surprised she didn’t choke on your piercings,” Nozomi held the sketchbook up to her face in an attempt to stifle her snorts.  
  
“She nearly popped my gemstone out!” Umi pointed quickly to the blue stone in her stretched lobes. Nozomi was now wheezing - those things were heavy. Just how strong was Kotori’s tongue?   
  
Nozomi continued to snort and wheeze with laughter when Umi pulled up to Rin’s apartment. The apprentice was standing outside already, hands in her pockets and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.  
  
“Goood morning! H-Huh? Nozomi-senpai, why are you laughing?” Rin threw herself into the backseat, and was puzzled at the different expressions on her seniors’s faces.  
  
“You don’t need to know, Rin,” Umi instantly reversed and took off towards the law firm.  
  
“Aww, but I wanna know!” Rin whined, seeing the tears form in Nozomi’s eyes.

 

* * *

 

“So why is it that Eli is allowed to get smashed and take a day off work, but I can’t?” Maki grumbled, setting down the pot plants and standing up straight.  
  
Nico looked up from the counter, her pink apron wet from spilling water earlier.  
  
“She’s not, so when she comes back tomorrow, I am going to give her hell.”  
  
“There’s a reason why you’re called ‘Nico-shit,’” Maki mumbled, and Nico batted her eyelashes and struck a rather sultry pose.  
  
“You’re damn right there is,” she winked and stuck a hand up in the air.  
  
“The great Nico Nii does not stand for bullshit!”  
  
Maki simply, blinked, then turned back to the pots. It was hard to move them around with an engagement ring on her finger. Although the two were fairly low-key about their recent development, it didn’t feel any different.  
  
“Hey, Nico-chan,” Maki lifted a pot onto the shelf and started to clean it. Nico hummed, indicating that she was listening. Maki stared into the pot, unsure of how to ask.  
  
“Did you want to...you know...move in together?”  
  
Nico looked up from the register, eyes wide.  
  
“Didn’t you _just_ move into that flat with Rin and Hanayo?”  
  
“Yes, but…” Maki’s fist clenched out of awkwardness.  
  
“Did you want to move in with me?”  
  
A sad smile formed on Nico’s lips, “Maki, I’d love to, but you know my situation at home.”  
  
“In that case, would you like me to move in with _you_ ?”  
  
Nico froze, but the determination in Maki’s eyes stated that she was not joking.  
  
“I...Wow…” her breathlessness made Maki blush.  
  
“I-It’s just a thought, I guess…”  


* * *

 

Another knock at the door. Eli hoisted herself up, and instantly regretted the sudden movement. Her head spun quickly, and she took a moment to settle herself. After that, she staggered to her feet and shuffled towards the door, not caring she was in her pyjamas.  
  
When she opened the door, she wasn’t expecting a familiar head of ginger hair and bright blue eyes.  
  
“Eli-chan!”  
  
“H-Honoka?” Eli blinked slowly as her friend invited herself into the apartment.  
  
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”  
  
“I’m on a lunch break right now, and Yukiho texted me to say that Alisa is sick and will not be going to ballet practice this afternoon.”  
  
“Lunch break? Afternoon?” Eli’s brain was at a snail’s pace trying to reciprocate everything the daycare owner was saying. Honoka pointed to the clock on the wall.  
  
“Eli-chan, it’s 1pm.”  
  
“W-What?!” Eli was instantly awake. She had slept for _that_ long? Wait - she went back to bed after Nozomi left?  
  
_‘Oh my God, I am the worst person,’_ she thought, slamming a palm to her forehead.  
  
“I’m here to take you out to lunch and make sure you come to yoga with me!”

“B-But it’s tuesday, and I went to yoga yesterday,” Eli didn’t want to put her body through anything physical.  
  
“You’re hungover and haven’t been answering your phone, Eli-chan. This is your punishment: lunch and yoga with yours truley.”  
  
“What about work?”  
  
“Kotori and Hanayo are there, and they can handle it. _You_ on the other hand, can barely look at me properly, so you’re practically a lost cause without me.”  
  
_‘Ouch,’_ what happened to the carefree, lovable, happy-go-lucky Honoka Eli knew? There was a fierce look in her eyes and her arms were crossed.  
  
“So, get changed and grab your yoga mat.”   


* * *

 

“Be honest with me, Nitta-san, do we stand a chance?” Nozomi placed the document down on the table and looked up at the lawyer.  
  
“I think we have enough evidence for the judge to take us seriously.”  
  
“...Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Rin asked Umi under her breath.  
  
“A good thing, but I have the feeling we still have a very slim chance of winning.”  
  
“Don’t be so certain about that, Umi-chan,” Nitta grinned at the piercer. Their meeting with her was not so long, since they were just going over their evidence and getting their stories in order.  
  
“You have some pretty strong evidence here which could potentially open up another case against Tojo-san, so you don’t have much to worry about until you’re on the stand.”  
  
“And why is that?” Umi asked as Nozomi fell silent.  
  
“Some people tend to blank when they get up there. It’s like public speaking. Others will make up things out of anxiousness, and some people are fine.”  
  
“P-Public speaking?” Umi paled and her clenched her knuckles until they turned white. Rin shook her shoulder lightly.  
  
“Umi-senpai relax! It’s not _that_ type of public speaking...right?”  
  
“Precisely! Forgive my weird terminology,” Nitta scratched at the back of her head sheepishly.  
  
“You will only be answering questions asked by me or the prosecutor's lawyer, or recounting your side of the story to the judge. I doubt many people will be there.”  
  
“Oh thank goodness,” Umi slumped forward in her chair. Rin rubbed her back gently while Nozomi stayed silent and frozen. 

Nozomi had not seen her father for five years physically, but she dealt with him on and off during her time as the owner of _Lily White_ . This was the first time he had actually make a crack though. Nozomi tucked a stray hair behind her ear and brought her arms around herself.  
  
“Senpai? Are you okay?” Rin moved from Umi to look at her teacher. Nozomi lifted her head, visibly holding back tears and forced a smile onto her face.  
  
“I’ll be okay, Rin-chan. Let’s just work on the case,” she picked up a piece of paper from the table and eyed it carefully. Rin did not look convinced, staring at her with narrow yet vibrant eyes. Nozomi let out a short breath from her nostrils and turned the smile into a smirk.  
  
“Rin-chan, would you like to state a wager?”  
  
“On what?” puzzlement lined the apprentice’s features. Nozomi hummed in thought, looking from Nitta to Umi.  
  
“If we lose the case, we’ll both be out of jobs, so we’ll have to look for new ones, right?”  
  
“Yes, so?”  
  
“Let’s apply for a corporate job.”  
  
Umi choked on her own breath as Rin’s jaw dropped.  
  
“H-How far up is your nyass is your head?!”  
  
“You don’t have to worry about that, Rin-chan, because you won’t lose the case,” Nitta chimed in from behind her desk. Rin shot a pleading look at the lawyer.  
  
“And if we win?” She asked Nozomi.  
  
“If we win the case, you can tattoo me again. It can be anything you want,”  
  
“Anything?”  
  
“Anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ankle tattoos hurt a lot. There's less skin down there so it tends to hurt more than the arm or back. But hey, it differs for everyone. 
> 
> For people who keep asking what car Kotoumi own, it looks like this: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/multimedia/dynamic/00411/Fiat-500-Cult-Twina_411029o.jpg  
> It's a fiat 500 in mint green. (I despise fiats. Long story.)
> 
> Going back to Sunday updates now :D Thanks for comments and kudos!


	44. Conquistador

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli is a Fucking Mess™ and let's learn about the ADHD Cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now if you're confused about what the actual hell is happening, when we change POVS, it's a new day.
> 
> Conquistador - 30 Seconds To Mars

"You decided last night that you want a tattoo..." Honoka repeated what Eli had said to her as they left the yoga studio, sweat beading on their foreheads. The cold winter air hit them both hard in the face. Eli nodded and adjusted her coat.

"Yes, it's the only thing I can really remember. I want a tattoo, and I want Nozomi to do it,"

"Not Rin-chan?" Honoka smirked as they made their way down the street. Eli sighed,

"I really like Rin, and her artwork is fantastic, but there are two problems: One, she's under a lawsuit and might not even become a fully fledged tattoo artist, and two-"

"She's not Nozomi," Honoka finished the sentence for her with a small grin. She tilted her head to the side upon seeing Eli's brows twitch in guilt.

"Don't worry about it, Eli-chan! Of _course_ you'd want to get tattooed by the woman you love. What did you want to get?"

Eli instantly blushed and turned her gaze to the pavement. "You know how Nozomi is really good at flowers?"

Honoka nodded, "I think _all_ tattoo artists have to be good at flowers."

"Well, Nozomi _is_ the best artist for flowers," Eli tightened her grip on her bag.

"I wanted a flower chain around my ankle, but not of one type of flower. A mixture of cherry blossoms and crocuses and roses just spiralling around my ankle! U-Uhm," Eli caught herself before she got way too excited, and Honoka let out a laugh.

"Eli-chan, if you want it, just get it!" Honoka's encouragement lead to Eli rubbing her arm nervously.

"I-I'm gonna talk about it with Nozomi tonight. If I can design the flower chain, and she draws it and tattoos it, that would be pretty neat."

"That sounds awesome! Awesome sauce!"

"...I beg your pardon?"

"Awesome sauce, it's what the kids have been saying at the daycare," Honoka shrugged, as if nothing was wrong with what she just said. Eli scratched at the back of her head, she had never heard something so weird before.

"...Okay then," she moved the blonde hair from her face and adjusted her hoodie.

* * *

"Elichi, have a look at these and tell me what you think," Nozomi placed her sketchbook on Eli's lap as the two sat on the couch watching some cooking show that evening.

The florist looked down at the sketches, and noticed the difference in styles immediately. It was hard to believe the same artist drew both of them.

The left page had a rather intricate bouquet with Bibi's logo around the ribbon.

"With the right shading and colours, that one can pop out against a solid white paint of the van," Nozomi pointed to her design. The bouquet itself was a mixture of roses, lilies and cherry blossoms. Eli smiled at Nozomi, eyes twinkling.

"It's beautiful, and I really like the combination of flowers," she lightly nudged Nozomi's side.

"You would make a great florist," a small, sweet kiss on Nozomi's cheek made the artist giggle.

"Flatterer, now have a look at the next one," Nozomi pointed to the next page, and Eli's eyes followed.

She instantly turned bright red: the second design featured a buxom blonde sitting on a swing, with the ropes wrapped in vines. Her expression could only be described as sultry. She wore an A-line dress and had a bouquet in her left hand. Her right arm was linked around the rope vine.

"N-Nozomi!" Eli could barely whine out her girlfriend's name as she stared at the design. Nozomi gave a mischievous grin.

"She's a pinup girl, Elichi."

"Why does she look like me? Why is she on a flower swing? How has she not fallen off and broken her neck?" Eli shot out questions from her frazzled mind, and Nozomi sighed while taking the sketchbook away from her.

"Pin up girls can grab anyone's attention."

"You _do_ remember we live in Japan? This isn't Italy!" Eli could not comprehend realism from sublime anymore, and just slumped onto the couch.

"And I thought Umi-chan was sensitive," Nozomi muttered with an exaggerated sigh.

"Well, if you don't like Rosie, I can work on the bouquet or do something different."

"You _named_ her?!"

"She might look like you, but her name is Rosie and she has green eyes," Nozomi pointed to the girl's eyes and grinned.

"I can _make_ her you if you want. I do love drawing that sexy body of yours, Elichi."

Eli choked on her own breath and smacked her face against a pillow from the couch.

"I'll take that as an unfortunate no," the artist shook her head and put the sketchbook away.

"Guess I'll have to come up with a new design for you."

Eli snapped her head up from the pillow and felt a wave of anxiety crash over her. Was she asking too much of Nozomi right now?

"It can wait. It doesn't have to be done _now_ ,"

"I know, but I like to be on top of things," Nozomi shrugged and pulled out her pencil. Eli frowned and took the pencil out of Nozomi's grip.

"I don't get the van until mid-march, Nozomi. I just thought thinking about the design would give you something to help ease the whole court thing…" Eli trailed off, leaning her head against the pillow. Nozomi's grin deflated, and she looked down at her sketchbook.

"It didn't take me long to come up with the designs, and it's not difficult-"

"I know it's not difficult for you," Eli softly interjected and grinned up at Nozomi.

"You are the best artist in all of Tokyo, and there's a reason why you're the go-to girl for flowers, but I don't want you to overwork yourself."

Nozomi raised an eyebrow and twitched her nose. The little stud in her nostril glinted in the light.

"If I was overworking myself, you would know for sure."

"Well, to be fair, I wouldn't. You always hide your emotions," Eli was treading on a minefield. Nozomi sighed, clearly not in the mood to direct Eli's footing towards a mine, and closed her sketchbook.

"So you want me to think about it rather than actually draw it?"

"N-No, that's not…" Eli trailed off and hugged the pillow tighter.

"I don't know," she mumbled and closed her eyes. It was an odd feeling, she thought that asking Nozomi to design the van would be a nice side activity while she dealt with the court case. It was not related to tattooing or her rather in any way shape or form.

' _Why am I double backing? I'm so confused,'_ Eli thought with a sigh. A familiar hand touched her shoulder.

"Elichi, do you feel like you're asking me for too much with the van _and_ your tattoo?"

Oh...that would make sense. Eli nodded dumbly, and Nozomi chuckled lightly.

"You don't have to worry about that, Elichi. It's not a burden like you think it might be," Nozomi curled up next to Eli and readjusted herself as Eli extended an arm around the artist.

She decided to drop the matter, because Nozomi had just answered all of her unasked questions.

* * *

"Rin, you need to get up. It's nearly 9am."

"Five more minutes, nya~"

"Rin! Umi is here!"

"No she's not"

"Yes I am."

Finally, the vibrant eyes snapped open. Rin shot up from her bed and snorted loudly.

It was Wednesday morning, and Maki stood in the doorframe with a scowl and folded arms. Next to her was Umi, glowering at the apprentice.

"You're not ready to go," Umi's voice dropped an entire octave, which scared both Rin and Maki.

' _As if her voice wasn't scary enough,'_ Rin thought with a gulp. Maki shook her head in annoyance.

"Rin, you better get dressed and hurry up."

"Where's Kayo-chin?"

"At university, remember?" Maki's patience grew thin. The ginger got out of bed and pat down her yellow boxer shorts with small cat-paws on them.

"How on earth do you sleep in a sports bra?"

"It's nyat a sports bra!" Rin whined and threw on a pair of jeans to expose her non-tattooed legs. Umi had silently excused herself to the living room.

"It's a crop top!" Rin pointed to the matching yellow piece of clothing. She turned around to open the closet, and Maki took in the sight of her back piece: it was an array of stars, with constellations covering her entire back.

Maki couldn't help but be in awe of her roommate's back. Rin covered it by throwing on a black t-shirt, then a black and yellow letterman jacket. The back had her family name with the number 11 on the back.

"The warmest jacket I have is from my soccer days," Rin mumbled, ruffling her short hair and fluffy undercut in the process.

Maki thought back to the Rin she knew in highschool: a very distracted bundle of endless energy that had a short temper to go with her attention span. Rin did only two things in high school: sports and graffiti. After a practice that made her mad, she'd go out into the streets of Tokyo late at night and place her mark on the walls. She had been caught only once, and that was when she sprained her ankle. At the time, Rin was being scouted by a B league football team, and had to choose between being staying in school to get offered the position, or continue to vandalise Tokyo's walls in the middle of the night.

Maki remembered that Rin had stopped graffiti to focus on her sports once she was offered the choice. Sure enough, after she finished high school Rin became a B league athlete. It was all fine until Rin ruined her hamstring during a game that would decide if she was going to move up into the A team.

Maki's heart sank at the memory - Rin was _this_ close to being a professional, to play for Japan's top women's team, and Maki couldn't even imagine the feelings Rin must have felt when she was told that she could never play professional again. Of course, knowing Rin, she got angry and went back to graffiti. This time though, she was getting caught more regularly. Maki remembered the phone calls she had received from Hanayo asking for help to collect Rin from the police station.

Rin did not have the grades to get her into university, and in all honesty, she'd 'rather go to prison than school.' Hanayo, who back then started studying fine arts at university, bought Rin a sketchbook to try and get her to vent her anger in a way that would not get her arrested. It seemed to work, and before long, Rin used her knowledge of bold lines and bright colors to experiment with cartoons and neo-traditional artwork.

Maki recalled what had happened the day Rin came home from a walk with an apprenticeship to be a tattoo artist. It was honestly the most euphoric the medical student had seen her friend in such a long time. Maki had moved in with Rin and Hanayo to not only become independent, but Hanayo had suggested that she and Rin could use some company. On top of Rin getting an apprenticeship in tattooing, and Maki moving in, it seemed like Rin was happy again, and that made Maki smile.

"What's Maki-chan smiling about now?"

The redhead was yanked from her thoughts as Rin stood before her, fully dressed with her bag on her shoulder and beanie on her head. Maki shook her head and moved aside.

"Nothing important. You might want to hurry, because Umi looks like she's about to blow out your mind with telekinesis or something."

"R-right, I just gotta brush my teeth," Rin quickly headed towards the bathroom, and Maki went back to the living room.

* * *

"Since when did we have crocuses in stock?" Nico raised an eyebrow as Eli brought out the garden box that Wednesday morning.

"This is a flower shop, Nico," Eli answered flatly. Nico scowled and snapped the daily planner shut.

"Yes, you smartass, I _know_ it's a flower shop, but when did we start stocking crocuses?"

"When I took over," Eli didn't look at Nico while she took three of them out and started to form a chain. Nico turned as red as Maki's hair, but decided not to push the matter, because there was a very important daily count that needed to be done.

Eli rolled her eyes and went to the back to get more flowers. She needed two white roses and some hydrangeas to complete her chain. When the chain was done, Eli took out her phone and snapped a photo to send to Nozomi.

She waited for a bit, knowing that Nozomi would be with the lawyer. Upon asking Nico, who knew Maki better than she did, Nico told Eli that the lawyer Maki had networked for Nozomi was nicknamed 'Emitsun,' and was probably one of the most successful business lawyers in Japan.

Eli was pulled out of her thoughts when her phone lit up. She grabbed it eagerly.

_**Nozomi, 11:10  
** _ _You love some strange combinations don't you Elichi? I'll draw something up for you tonight xx -N_

Eli smiled down at her phone. She had asked Nico for her input on the designs, and will be sure to ask Alisa when she picked her up that afternoon. Nico had laughed out loud at the pin up girl, and sent a photo to Maki instantly.

"So, why the mixture of flowers?" Nico peered over her shoulder at the chain.

"They say not all tattoos have to have a meaning, but I really like mixing styles. It's also fitting that I have European heritage and live in Japan, I guess," Eli shrugged, putting the chain onto tissue paper and carefully taking it to the back room.

Nico opened the door for her, "That sounds stupid and gay but hey go for it."

Eli ignored her co-worker's remark and carefully placed the chain in the temperature-controlled area of the room. It was sectioned off by glass and a small latch.

"Hey, about the designs Nozomi did," Nico put two fingers together, clearly unsure on how to address the topic.

"Did she rush those? I mean, you only gave her the task on Sunday and she did two, and it's Wednesday."

Eli took a deep breath through her nose as she shut the latch and adjusted the temperature for the plants inside.

"That's what struck me as weird, too. Nozomi is normally so relaxed about her work, and she produces the most incredibly things at her own pace. So what I want to know is why she did two massive designs in such a short period of time."

She paused and looked at Nico with a small, sad smile, "She's trying to distract herself from court on Friday. She's terrified, and keeps saying that doing the designs _and_ thinking about tattooing me is 'not a burden,' but come on," Eli adjusted her apron and scowled at the floor.

"It might not be a burden to her by doing all this work to distract herself from what's about to happen, but it's making me worry."

"All you do is worry."

Nico's blunt answer made Eli lookup. Nico had her arms folded and a smile on her face.

"Tits Mcgee knows you'll worry about her - we _all_ know you'll worry about her. By working, she can seem happy and act like there's nothing wrong. That's how her twisted mind works."

"You're right," Eli let out another sigh and awkwardly fiddled with her apron.

"And you hate it when I'm right," Nico smirked, nudging Eli's side with her elbow.

"Come on, I need to do the daily count and _you_ need to get your ribbons done."

* * *

Leaving the law firm that evening, Nozomi pulled out her phone and glanced at the picture Eli had sent her again. As usual, her girlfriend had incredible taste, however the complexity of a flower chain around the ankle was what made Nozomi hum in thought.

' _It's not impossible, I've done plenty of ankle chains, but I don't want to mess up because this is Elichi I'll be tattooing,"_ She thought, sticking the e-cigarette in her mouth.

The thoughts stuck with her the entire walk home, and she entered her apartment in silence.

"Nozomi?"

"Oh, Hello Elichi! Sorry, I'm home," Nozomi quickly announced her presence, taking off her shoes and jacket. Eli got off the couch and kissed Nozomi as usual.

After dinner, Nozomi opened her sketchbook and pushed open a page towards Eli on the opposite side of the table. It was raining outside, and the splattering against the windows was not as calming as it usually was for the two.

"Here, have a look at this," Nozomi tapped the page for Eli to inspect. On the paper was a line drawing of the flower chain Eli had made that day.

"I only had my pencil with me, so I couldn't color it, but it's just something to give you an idea of the style."

Eli's breath was taken from her at how intricate and beautiful the simple line drawing was. It was everything she imagined and more.

How Nozomi was able to look at a photo taken on her phone of a flower chain she had made in under ten minutes and turn it into something so exquisite was just unbelievable.

"I...it's beautiful," Eli could barely muster out of her system. Nozomi chuckled and scratched at her stomach.

"Thank you, now take this page and stick it to your face."

"What? Nozomi!"

The artist ripped the page out of her sketchbook and pushed it towards Eli. The look on her face could be used if Nozomi ever went to an art gallery and urinated on a painting.

"Elichi, it's a sketch, and I will make photocopies. Just have this in your line of sight for as long as possible, because it will desensitise you to having a flower chain on your ankle for the rest of your life."

"Oh, that makes sense," Eli used a finger to slide the paper over to herself in the most delicate way possible. Nozomi was right, if she _really_ wanted this tattoo, she'd have to have that image with her everywhere.

She instantly pulled out her phone and took a photo, then made the picture her lock and home screen.

"I'm going to stick this on the counter at work, because I don't have enough flowers to look at already."

Nozomi laughed with a snort, and Eli couldn't help but smile. A genuine laugh from Nozomi was music to her ears.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I'm sure many of us know, living with anxiety isn't fun. Second-guessing and doubling back can just make you more anxious.


	45. Kill Of The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli probably watched Miami Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> G'Day Coppers! (...No Australian says that. Thanks Junkrat.)
> 
> I'm going back to uni this week, so if I don't update as regularly as I have been, it's because I'm trying not to fail a course I've been doing for four years. 
> 
> Kill of The Night – Gin Wigmore

“So what time do you think we should get to the courthouse by?” Umi asked Nitta on the late Thursday afternoon.  It was their final session with Nitta before the court case tomorrow morning, and all four of them looked slightly weary from the amount of documents they had gone through for evidence. 

“No later than 9am. Our session is at 9:30, but we can go over everything again one last time, which I’d recommend,” Nitta smiled, shuffling a stack of papers and putting them to the side. How the lawyer was able to maintain her optimism after three hours of digging astounded the piercer. Umi nodded and mentally noted down the time.  
  
“It looks like I’ll have to collect Nozomi at 8, then Rin at 8:30.”  
  
“Damn, that’s early,” Nozomi mused while adjusting her coat.

Rin tapped at her knees before standing up and adjusting her jacket. It was thursday evening, around 5pm, and she was rather hungry.  
  
“You all need to go home and get some rest, because this court case could take a few hours.”  
  
Rin clenched her teeth, that was a _long_ time. Would she even be able to pay attention for that long?  
  
_‘Don’t be stupid, Rin! You have to pay attention if you want to be a tattoo artist,’_ she mentally kicked herself while stuffing her hands into her letterman jacket pockets. She scratched at the back of her head, and made a mental note to get her hair cut during the weekend.

-

“So, who would like a ride home?” Umi asked as they left the law firm. Nozomi shook her head with a grin.

“I am fine, Umi-chan. I need to drop by the store,” Nozomi decline the offer and looked up at the sunset. It was something out of an impressionist painting.  
  
“Figured I might go there as it might be my last night as a licensed tattoo artist.”  
  
“Don’t say things like that,” Umi scolded. Nozomi shrugged with a clearly fake grin as Umi looked to Rin.  
  
“Okay then, how about you, Rin?”  
  
“Nya?” Rin was sapped out of her little daze and turned to face the piercer.  
  
“It’s okay! Kayo-chin is meeting me here and then we’re going to get dinner like we always do on Thursdays.”  
  
“That sounds lovely,” Umi smiled and pulled out a pair of keys from her pocket.  
  
“In that case, I shall see you both tomorrow.”  
  
An awkward silence hung in the hair. The three knew the seriousness of tomorrow, but all they could do was make light small talk. It was too much to think that tomorrow would decide their fate.

* * *

  
Rin walked down the street with her hands in her pockets and headphones on. She couldn’t help but do a little foot shuffle to the [beat of her music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YLFakwWwt8). Her football days provided her with flawlessly fancy feet, and she always knew how to tear up a dance floor.  
  
She was so caught up in her little jig that she didn’t hear a familiar, soft voice trying to get her attention.  
  
“Rin-chan...Rin-chan! _Rin-chan!!_ ”  
  
“Nya!” Rin bumped into the person, and quickly moved her headphones off. Hanayo stood before her, giggling. Rin chuckled awkwardly and turned off her music.  
  
“Sorry Kayo-chin, this band Nozomi-senpai recommended me is really good. I can’t understand what they’re saying because it’s in English, but...oh whatever, hello!” Rin leaned in and kissed Hanayo on the cheek. The other girl blushed and adjusted her green jumper.  
  
“It’s okay, Rin-chan, and hello,” she reached out for Rin’s hand.  
  
“Where did you want to eat? We could go to that small Ramen shop on the corner if you like, or maybe try the Italian place?”  
  
Rin hummed in thought, “I’ll let Kayo-chin pick!”

“But Rin-chan, I picked last week,” Hanayo’s eyebrow strained, and Rin bit her lip.  
  
“U-Uhm, okay, why don’t we go to the Ramen place then? We had Chinese last week anyway,”  
  
“Sounds good,” Hanayo squeezed Rin’s hand, indicating for her to lead the way.   
  
The walk to the ramen shop was just full of light conversation and laughs. Hanayo showed Rin all of her recent designs for an illustration assignment on her phone, seemingly set on distracting Rin from the thought of what was happening tomorrow.

“I wanted to create a character that’s fully clothed, but it’s weird to see animals wearing shirts and pants,” Hanayo explained as Rin listened intently.  
  
“Why does the duck have to wear pants though?”  
  
“Did you know Donald Duck is banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants?”  
  
“That can’t be true!”  
  
“It is, so I’d like all my characters to wear clothes so that...um…”  
  
“Yes?” Rin stopped walking to let Hanayo finish her sentence.  
  
“If...um...I ever become an illustrator...I’d like for my drawings to not be banned anywhere.”  
  
“Awww Kayo-chin!” Rin hugged her girlfriend tightly, getting a squeak out of her.  
  
“That’s nyat something for you to worry about, your drawings are far too cute to get banned anywhere!”  
  
Hanayo blushed furiously, but thanked Rin for the compliment.   
  
They continued to walk to the restaurant, but we so caught up in each other that they nearly bumped into someone.  
  
“Oh!”  
  
Hanayo stopped them both and moved to the side to allow the person pass.  
  
“You should watch where you’re going,” the man mumbled through his cigarette.  
  
“We’re sorry,” Hanayo bowed and forced Rin down with her. She could sense the irritation radiating from her girlfriend. The man adjusted his coat and puffed out smoke from his mouth. When the two girls straightened up, they saw that he had rather short, dark hair and dull green eyes.  
  
His facial hair was what made Rin narrow her eyes - it was a dark purple goatee.  
  
_‘What the-’_ Rin’s thoughts were interrupted when the man stared her arm. Rin’s sleeve had shifted up to reveal the bottom half of the panther on her right wrist.   
The man’s dull eyes narrowed as his fist clenched.  
  
Rin instantly puffed out her chest and clenched her own fists, out of instinct. The man had a noise growl in his throat, and quietly muttered one word.  
  
“Disgusting.”  
  
He turned on his heel and started to walk away, muttering for them to have a nice night.  
  
Hanayo held back Rin from going after him. It was hard, seeing as Rin was stronger, but her hamstring would prevent her from sprinting at her top speed.  
  
“That _bastard!_ ” Rin hissed through her teeth as Hanayo yanked her back with all of her might.  
  
“Rin-chan! He’s not worth it!” Hanayo pleaded, not wanting Rin to hurt herself or let her emotions get the better of her.  
  
Rin instantly deflated, much to Hanayo’s surprise. The apprentice raised her head and sighed bitterly, with her eyes watering.  
  
“Bastard…”  
  
“He wasn’t nice at all,” Hanayo positioned herself to hug Rin. The apprentice let out a huff, then looked up at Hanayo again.  
  
“I’m going to need to drown myself in a big ramen bowl.”  
  
“Same here,” Hanayo chuckled and took Rin’s hand again.  
  
“Come on, let’s go.”  
  
“We should get some extra rice,” Rin walked next to Hanayo with a grin.

 

* * *

 

Across town, Nozomi met Eli outside of the ballet studio that Eli took her sister to. It was weird to be standing outside and seeing all the children in tutus file out.  
  
Nozomi leaned against the wall, smoking and watching on quietly. Finally, a familiar blonde emerged from the glass doors.  
  
“Elichi,” Nozomi called out with a grin, getting their attention.  
  
“Ah! Nozomi!” Eli briskly walked forward and kissed her. It was clear she had pre-tattoo jitters, but this was natural, and Nozomi had seen it countless times.  
  
“Are you ready to go?” Nozomi extended her hand, and Eli took it with a nod.   
  
The walk to _Lily White_ was around fifteen minutes, but the two stopped to get takeout for dinner. Nozomi would never allow food in her studio, but she figured they could eat in the break room. As they continued their walk to _Lily White,_  Eli looked around, taking in the dark city she had lived in for quite some time. Nozomi thought about what colours to use for the flowers in Eli’s design.  
  
“Now with the colours,” Nozomi turned to Eli with a grin.  
  
“I can either do really bright colours that we can use your skin-tone as a highlight, or we I can do darker, cooler colours. Personally, I think that the bright colours will give more of a Japanese feel and stand out against the black outline, but it’s up to you.”  
  
“Would it be easier to tattoo with the bright colours?” Eli asked. Nozomi’s brows flew up.  
  
“Elchi, there is no change in difficulty, it’s just personal preference. This is your tattoo, and it will be on your body for the rest of your life. However,” Nozomi flicked her hair and smirked.  
  
“As a professional, and your girlfriend, I am allowed to give you advice.”

Eli chuckled and nudged Nozomi’s side lightly, “Indeed you are.”  


* * *

  
  
They got to the studio. Although it had not been opened for quite some time, Nozomi got ready to proceed with getting inside. She unlocked the door, stepped inside and turned off the alarm with her clicker.  
  
“Now as you can see, it’s dark in here,” Nozomi turned to Eli, who was standing underneath a bright street while she stood in the door frame of the pitch black shop.  
  
“Would you like me to go in and turn the lights on and you wait there?”  
  
“Yes please,” the reply was immediate. Nozomi chuckled and walked into the studio, then flicked the lights on from inside the break room. After every single lightbulb was active, Eli stepped into the studio and shut the door.  
  
Nozomi skipped forward to turn on her station lamp, and Eli pulled the paper out of her bag. She smoothed it out on the counter for Nozomi, next to the collection of darumas.  
  
“Now, Elichi, I will ask you again: is this the design you want?” Nozomi looked at Eli dead in the eye. The blonde nodded and pushed the paper towards the artist.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Nozomi chuckled again, and took the paper.  
  
“If you give me a few minutes, I will get this ready. Would you like to sit in the break room and have dinner while you fill out a form?”  
  
“Yes please,” Eli followed Nozomi to the break room. Nozomi put a spare chair next to her desk.  
  
The last time Eli had seen Nozomi’s desk, it was littered in papers and cigarette ash. Now, the papers were all stacked up neatly at the corner, and the computer was guarded by two kokeshis.  
  
“Feel free to start eating, Elichi. You’ll need the food more than me,” Nozomi’s invitation brought Eli out of her thoughts.  
  
“Why is that?” Eli asked while she set up the plastic containers filled with food. Nozomi flicked a switch, and a small desk in the corner lit up. She turned around with a smile.  
  
“If you get tattooed with a full stomach, you’ll lower the risk of passing out.”  
  
Eli paled, and Nozomi chuckled, getting a piece of tracing paper from the drawer next to the small table.  
  
“So, what form do I need to fill out?” Eli held her hand to her mouth as she chewed on a pork dumpling. Nozomi walked out to the reception counter and came back a minute later with a clipboard.  
  
“All of this,” Nozomi handed the clipboard to Eli. She read over it and picked up a free pencil from Nozomi’s desk. The artist returned to the light desk with tracing paper, and Eli filled out the forms.  
  
“So, you didn’t sign the bottom of one when Rin tattooed, and _that’s_ why you’re in trouble?”  
  
Nozomi stiffened, “Yes, but signed the form of her very first tattoo, which in turn can cancel out the issue...it’s just proving to the judge that Rin-chan is a good enough apprentice to tattoo without my supervision, is all…”  
  
“So will this form be sent to Minami-san, too?” Eli asked as she filled out her allergy list and turned the subject.  
  
Nozomi nodded, “Yes, she will see it. She sees all the forms.”  
  
“So she would have seen the form you signed for Rin to tattoo you?”  
  
“Maybe not that one, since she only took over from the previous landlord a couple of weeks ago,” Nozomi turned around and smirked.  
  
“Isn’t it weird to think all of this has happened over a few weeks? It feels like months - even years,” Eli ticked off that she had not been drinking on the paper. With her free hand, Eli helped herself to the noodles, enjoying the quiet hums that came from Nozomi.  
  
When Eli finished filling out the form, she signed the bottom and moved to her get her wallet.  
  
“I know you are over eighteen, Elichi,” Nozomi called out, not even looking up from her desk. Eli blushed slightly, then put her wallet back down and went back to eating.  
  
“I won’t be much longer, I’m just going to get the stencil ready now.” Nozomi moved over to another machine and slid the paper into it.  
  
“This machine is called a thermal fax, and it will make the stencil which I will then apply to your ankle. Did you shave?”  
  
“Yes, I did.”  
  
“Good girl,” Nozomi smiled as the machine slowly sucked up the paper.  
  
“Would you mind passing me some noodles?”  
  
Eli sighed and got up with the container and the other pair of chopsticks. Hand-feeding Nozomi noodles was not something easy.  
  
“Thank you,” Nozomi kissed Eli’s nose, and giggled at the blush. The machine beeped, indicating it had finished with the stencil.  
  
“Okie dokie, the stencil is done, now let’s eat up. After that, I’ll set up my station and the bed.”  
  
“Bed?” Eli looked puzzled when Nozomi sat down, gazing hungrily at the noodles.  
  
“I’m going to have you on a tattoo bed. Gives me easy access to your ankle and comfort for you,” Nozomi smiled over her chopsticks.  
  
“And I’m giving my Elichi the best seat in the house.”

* * *

 

  
Their empty containers from dinner were thrown into the garbage bin outside by Eli, while Nozomi set up the bed. She was placing glad wrap on the black cushion when Eli walked back into the studio. Looking around, the machinery of Nozomi’s work station was covered in plastic, too.  
  
“It’s to stop cross-contamination,” Nozomi seemed to have read Eli’s mind, or at least followed her gaze to the plastic-wrapped machines. Nozomi’s station was extremely well organized. The ink bottles were lined up according to color, and her machines were laid out perfectly. On the shelf above her station was a maneki-neko, and Eli recognized it as the one she had bought Nozomi when she first got the keys to _Lily White.  
_   
“You kept the maneki-neko?”Eli eyed the small trinket and Nozomi nodded while she put a rubber band on top of a tattoo machine.  
  
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”  
  
“I just got that from a corner-store,” Eli remembered rushing out of the shop with the little cat and bolting down the road so as to not miss the grand opening.  
  
“He’s very special to me, Elichi,” Nozomi moulded her hand around the machine a few times.  
  
“Hanzo sits there and watch me work.”  
  
“He has a name?”  
  
“Yes, his name is Hanzo.”  
  
Eli shook her head at her girlfriend’s strange antics. Then again, this was the girl who had a daruma on her side of the bathroom cabinet. Nozomi was strange, there was no denying it, but Eli would not have her any other way. 

“This place is always so clean,” Eli gazed around the small studio in awe, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.  
  
“We modify people’s bodies everyday, we _have_ to be clean,” Nozomi grinned and put on a pair of black gloves.  
  
“Elichi, if you could please come over here, I’m going to shave you some more and put the stencil on.”  
  
Eli took off her shoes and sat on the bed. Nozomi instructed her to swing herself on with her feet flat on the edge.  
  
“Now, which ankle are we doing - left or right?”  
  
“Right,” Eli answered and rolled up her pants. Nozomi shaved the area carefully, humming as Eli gripped the sides of the tattoo bed.  
  
“Do you think this will take long?” She asked the artist who turned to throw out the razor.  
  
“Maybe an hour and a half? It’ll be over before you know it, though.”  
  
“Right…” Eli took a deep breath. This was happening. Nozomi placed the stencil on, and carefully peeled off the paper.  
  
“Okay Elichi, why don’t you go take a peek in the mirror and have a look at the placement,” Nozomi pointed to the large mirror in the corner of the shop. While Eli went to look, Nozomi took her machine and inserted a needle.  
  
“I really like the placement,” Eli stretched out her leg to rotate her ankle.  
  
The stencil flowed nicely with the shape of her long, elegant leg. The lines were incredibly thin, and Nozomi had even outlined the creases within the flower petals. There was so much detail, and this was just a guide for Nozomi.  
  
Eli smiled at the mirror, and Nozomi moved behind her and snaked her arms around her waist.  
  
“You happy?” She got on her tiptoes to place her head on Eli’s shoulder. The blonde nodded, trying not to shudder at Nozomi's breath that tickled on her neck slightly.  
  
“That’s good, now come and sit down again,” Nozomi kissed Eli’s neck then retreated back to the station. Upon seeing Eli still standing by the mirror, Nozomi doubled back and scooped up the florist in her arms. With a squeak, Eli was carried over to the tattoo bed and was placed on top carefully.  
  
“N-Nozomi!” Eli stuttered, adjusting her ponytail and frowning at the tattoo artist, who had a mischievous glint in her eyes.  
  
“The ink will get wasted if I don’t start tattooing you,” Nozomi grinned and positioned Eli’s foot to be flat on the bed again. Eli herself huffed and leaned down, but angled herself so that her knees were in the air.  
  
“Okay, so the machine is ready, and I’m going to start with the outline,” Nozomi dipped her tattoo machine’s needle into the small cup of black ink.  
  
“Now Elichi, as a reminder, this _will_ hurt, so please try to relax.”  
  
Eli nodded and grabbed the sides of the bed again. Nozomi took a deep breath and brought the needle to Eli’s ankle. She started her first line.  
  
To Nozomi’s surprise, Eli was as stoic as when they had first met. Nozomi took the needle away and blinked up at the florist.  
  
“You okay there, Elichi?” Nozomi was honestly expecting whining, or at least a wince from the pain, but there was nothing from Eli.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“That didn’t hurt?”  
  
“Not really,” Eli’s aloofness left Nozomi completely stunned. It was like meeting Eli all over again - she did not flinch, and seemed incredibly stoic. Nozomi was aware that people had different levels of pain tolerance, but Eli was someone who couldn’t even deal with getting vaccines. How was she able to sit there so casually?  
  
“Okay, then I’ll keep going,” the tattoo artist dipped her needle into the ink and continued.

* * *

 

  
To Nozomi’s astonishment, Eli just sat there like a rock. She did not flinch, groan or even bat an eyelid at the pain. She moved her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. There wasn’t much talking, as Nozomi was concentrating and Eli was in her own little world. Half an hour later, Nozomi had finished the outline.  
  
“Would you like to take a breather?” Nozomi took out the needle from her machine and placed in a different one. Eli shrugged.  
  
“Don’t mind, it’s not bothering me.”  
  
“You are the first person I’ve ever tattooed who has not batted their eyelids at the pain of an ankle tattoo,” Nozomi poured the different colours into their respective cups and changed her gloves. Eli looked up, eyes half lidded.  
  
“Is that so?”  
  
“As I explained, the ankle is very close to the bone, so it tends to hurt more,” Nozomi readied herself to continue.    
  
Eli went back into her own little world and gazed up at the ceiling. All she heard was the whirring of the tattoo machine, and Nozomi’s humming.  
  
“You’ve got that song stuck in my head now,” Eli spoke after ten minutes of silence. Nozomi looked up with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“It’s a catchy song, Elichi, and I need something to help me stay focused.”  
  
“So you hum?”  
  
“You do too,” Nozomi lightly countered while changing the colour. Eli smiled and sat up to look at Nozomi.  
  
“I guess I do,” she had a stupid, goofy grin as she looked at the woman she loved, resting her arms on her knees and chin on top. Nozomi looked so calm and beautiful in her element. She held the tattoo machine as if it were a paintbrush, and seemed to have this aura that radiated with passion.  
  
The artist looked up and let out a chuckle at Eli’s expression.  
  
“Did Cupid stick an arrow up your butt?”  
  
Eli instantly blushed while Nozomi went back to work.  
  
“I can’t help it that you’re so perfect,”  
  
“Aww, Elichi!” Nozomi swooned with a grin forming on her lips as she coloured the crocus.  
  
“You know who to flatter a girl, that’s for sure.”   


* * *

 

Idle chatting and the occasional flirtatious remark proceeded throughout the coloring and shading stage of Eli’s tattoo. Nozomi had been at the tattoo for nearly an hour and a half in total. When she moved to get a different color for the hydrangea, Eli let out a sigh.  
  
“I’m lucky I have a day off tomorrow, because I think I’ll spend the whole day sleeping.”  
  
Nozomi grinned, “You can have with that. I have to be at the courthouse at some ridiculous time in the morning.”  
  
Eli’s eyes snapped open. She had forgotten about that in the last two hours.  
  
“Oh my god, I am an idiot,” Eli shook her head and folded her arms while Nozomi coloured in the hydrogena.  
  
“I will come with you. I can sit through the pain.”  
  
“No one is forcing you to come, Elichi,” Nozomi resume her work, but she noticed Eli’s body had stiffened up. Moving the needle away from Eli’s skin, she peered up at her girlfriend, who was staring down at her with determination.  
  
“I am not going to let some foot pain stop me from supporting you,” Eli reached out and cupped Nozomi’s cheek in her hand while Nozomi kicked the switch to turn off the machine.  
  
“You are my entire world, and I will be with you tomorrow.”  
  
The sudden change in the florist’s tone made Nozomi’s heart flip. Staring up at those blue eyes, the tattoo artist blinked away her own tears. She turned her head to kiss the inside of Eli’s palm, then patted her leg with her free hand.  
  
“You have to be at the court house by 9:30. Now please relax your leg so I can continue.”  
  
“I start work at 7am every morning, this should be nothing,”  
  
“But your weakness is _getting_ up, Elichi,” Nozomi smirked, and Eli sighed instantly.  
  
“I will be up, don’t you worry about that.”

After that, Eli fell back into silence as Nozomi continued to work. The pain was starting to get to her, and once Nozomi started to apply the white, she let out a small whine.  
  
“Is it getting to you, Elichi?”  
  
“A little,” Eli moaned and shut her eyes. Nozomi always said that the ‘white stage’ was the worst. It was the last color to go on, and the small dots of pain were far more irritating than anything else.  
  
“Hang in there, we’re nearly done.”  
  
It was easier said than done. Every time the needle make in contact with her skin, Eli thought Nozomi was just sawing her foot off. Scrunching up her eyes and gritting her teeth, Eli continued to deal with the irritation.  
  
“Elichi, count to thirty for me.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Just do it,”  
  
“...One…” The needle was back on, and the irritation came with it. Eli’s nails dug into the sides of the tattoo bed as she continued to count.  
  
“...Two...three...four...five...six…”  
  
It was hard to concentrate on such a simple thing as counting. The swirling needle was giving Eli far too much grief, and she shut her eyes and tried to count.  
  
“...Seven...eight...nine...t-ten…”  
  
Eli fell silent, and could only stare at her closed eyelids. Her body was weak and tender, there wasn’t much else she could do.  
  
“Elichi, did you finish counting?”  
  
“H-Huh?” Eli cracked her eyes open at Nozomi’s voice. The needle was not on her skin anymore.  
  
“You don’t have to count anymore, because it’s finished.”  
  
“Really?” Eli sat up groggily with a pained expression on her face. Nozomi nodded and set down her machine.  
  
“Would you like to check it out in the mirror?”  
  
“Y-Yes please,” Eli’s voice cracked as she shakily got off the bed. Nozomi extended a hand to provide support, and she led Eli over to the mirror.  
  
“Tell me what you think.”  
  
When Eli’s eyes fell upon the tattoo, she gasped.  
  
It was so beautiful: a perfect combination of Japanese and realism. The colours popped out as the smooth outline swirled around her ankle in perfect precision. It far exceeded her expectations, but Eli couldn’t think of a time Nozomi had done a ‘bad’ tattoo.’  
  
“This is...amazing,” Eli breathed, turning the ball of her feet to view the tattoo at different angles. Nozomi stood to the side with her hands behind her back and her usual quirky grin on her face.  
  
“I put a lot of effort into this one,” Nozomi shrugged and peered down at the ankle to observe her work.  
  
“Once the swelling goes down, you’ll be able to see more shading and detail, like how the flowers are all conne-”  
  
Nozomi didn’t finish her sentence, because Eli had swooped her up and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.  
  
“Mmph!”  
  
Eli pulled away for breath and beamed at the dazed expression on Nozomi’s face. She looked like she was seeing stars.  
  
“Nozomi, this is so beautiful,” Eli rested her forehead against Nozomi’s and smiled.

“It’s more than I could ever imagine,”  
  
“Well Elichi, I hope you treasure it,” Nozomi closed her eyes.  
  
“That might be the last tattoo I ever do.”  
  
“It will _not_ be your last, you’re both innocent,” Eli pulled Nozomi close and rubbed her back.  
  
“You have a strong case to protect yourself and your business.”  
  
“Let’s hope so,” Nozomi closed her eyes and melted into the embrace. She was worried that the prosecutor would destroy everything she had worked so hard on. The prosecutor was one of her last blood relatives, and he was hell bent on ripping her life to shreds.  
  
“Hey,” Eli lifted Nozomi’s chin gently with her finger, and let her kind gaze linger.  
  
“You just did what you do best, and I will not let _anyone_ take that away from you. Neither will Umi or Rin. You have Nitta as a lawyer and a strong case, and you _will_ win.”  
  
“I really, _really_ hope so,” Nozomi sighed as Eli brought her lips down to Nozomi’s. The artist reluctantly pulled herself away from Eli and clapped her hands together.  
  
“Alright, Elichi, let’s get you cleaned and wrapped up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus in a bikini, this is huge.


	46. Let the Flames Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily White REALLY should've played ace attorney

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: This is by no mean an accurate representation of what happens in a court case. This entire thing, plus the characters, are a work of fiction.
> 
> That being said, shout out to Radsadad (@Space-Cowboi on tumblr) for all of her help and tips for writing this! Thanks so much m8 I appreciate it :D 
> 
> Let The Flames Begin - Paramore

Nozomi liked naps. They were refreshing and easy - the only struggle was to get up afterwards. Not to mention there was nowhere to really comfortably nap in  _ Lily White,  _ so she’d often have to lean forward on her desk with her arm as a pillow. 

Sleeping, Nozomi found, was different.   
  
She would lay in her bed, chewing on her e-cigarette, or in this case a toothpick (since Eli was asleep,) and stared at the ceiling. It was currently 4:13am, and Nozomi had been in bed since 11pm. She couldn’t fall asleep from knowing what was going to happen within a few hours. She had taken some sleeping tablets, but they weren’t working. It was a constantly snowball of thoughts and unrealistic scenarios to keep her awake.

* * *

  
The car ride for Friday morning was just complete silence. Nozomi, Rin and Umi were all in their usual formal suits.   
  
“Umi-chan,” Nozomi suddenly spoke after twenty minutes of white noise.  
  
“Can you pull over for a second?”  
  
Umi did not ask questions, but did seem skeptical as she veered to the side and put the  _ Fiat  _ in park. Nozomi thanked the piercer, and stepped out of the car.  
  
“Where are you going?” Umi called after her, but Nozomi just held up her hand with all four fingers plus her thumb stretched out to indicate that she would be five minutes. Umi let out a small whine and turned off the engine just to be safe.   
  
Rin was equally as confused, but recognized where Nozomi had asked them to stop.   
  
Nozomi walked up the stairs to the shrine she went to every Sunday while she was at uni. Back then, Sundays were her day off from being an apprentice.  
  
Nozomi had not seen any shrines like this in Italy, so her delight upon finding one close to her university was untameable. She saw this particular shrine as a sanctuary, a place where she could escape her troubles and just be alone with her thoughts.   
  
Today, Nozomi stood in silence, only breaking it with the clapping of her hands twice. She then closed her eyes and said a small prayer.  
  
_ ‘Please, gives us a fighting chance today.’  _

-

Upon Nozomi’s return to the car, they continued their journey to the court house.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, Umi parked the car again, and all three just sat there, even after the engine was turned off.   
  
“I can’t believe this is really happening,” Rin brought her knees to her chin and hugged them tightly.   
  
“W-We’ll be fine, we just need to remain calm and be honest,” Umi tried to reassure the apprentice, but the sweat beading on her forehead begged to differ. Today was a huge deciding point for all of them, and it was terrifying. Not even Nozomi was able to keep completely calm, even after her small detour at the shrine.  
  
The tattoo artist smoothed out her skirt one more time and adjusted her stockings before nodding to Rin.  
  
“Let’s go in. Nitta will be waiting for us, no doubt.”  
  


* * *

  
Turns out that Nitta was running five minutes late. Nozomi could see Umi pale so drastically, as if she had just gotten her hip dermals re-pierced. Rin tapped anxiously against the wooden bench she was perched on with her fingers. She had loosened her tie out of nervousness, and Nozomi made a mental note to fix it before they went inside.  
  
It was agonizing to sit and wait for Nitta. Nozomi looked down at her right forearm, searching for a quote tattooed on her skin that could provide some comfort. She was lost in searching that she didn’t hear the clacking of heels getting louder and louder towards her general direction. Umi noticed, and looked up. So did Rin, and the apprentice immediately scowled.  
  
Two people were walking towards them. One was clearly Kotori’s mother, and the other was the man she had encountered last night.   
  
“Oh my god,” Rin hissed through her teeth with her fists clenched. She joined the dots in her head quickly.   
  
That man must be the one and only Tojo Osamu.   
  
The man eyed Rin with the same stoic expression he had the previous night. He blinked dully and turned his gaze to Umi. The piercer matched the stoic expression on the male Tojo and gave a small bow out of respect.   
  
“Sonoda-san,” he acknowledged Umi with barely any respect. The piercer instantly put a hand on Rin’s shoulder, since the apprentice looked just about ready to tackle the man to to ground and pound his face in.   
  
Nozomi looked up at her father, the man she had not seen in nearly five years. He had aged, with flecks in his black hair and his purple goatee seemed less smooth. There was not a speck of family instinct within her, so she just gave a small bow.  
  
No words were said between the two, it was just a staring competition. Umi looked on, fearing that someone would lash out, but no - just seething silence.    
“We should be on our way,” A man behind Tojo stepped forward and lead the other adults away. With one last sneering look at his daughter, Nozomi’s father followed.    
  
The silence was still there after the three older adults left. Nozomi let out a deflated sigh and went back to looking up and down her arm for a quote.  
  
“Nozomi…” Umi went to place a hand on the shoulder. When Nozomi didn’t look up, Umi took her hand away as if Nozomi’s skin was made of fire.   
  
“I have so many quotes on my arm,” Nozomi gestured to the arm and sighed.  
  
“There’s not a decent one on here to keep me positive.”  
  
Umi and Rin’s mouths dropped open. There was no positivity in the tattoo artist’s voice, and it scared them both. 

The door to the outside world burst open, and there stood Nitta Emi in all of her frazzled glory. Her hair was sticking out to one side, and her large white coat with fur on the top matched. She was panting heavily, her briefcase clutched at her chest.   
  
“Sorry I’m late!” She scuttled forward to her clients with her usual booming voice.   
  
“My roommate stayed out really late and she out drank the bar, so I had to go pick her up  _ and  _ drop her off to work at her little café and rush over here,” she panted, resting herself against the wall. Umi looked completely dumbfounded, but was never as happy to see someone as she was with Nitta. The lawyer shook her sleeve up to get a glimpse of her watch.  
  
“Okay, we have twenty minutes to go over our stuff first. Just so you know, the prosecutor will absolutely go first, so just be honest and don’t be too intimidated. You are all correct, okay?”  
  
Rin and Umi responded, but Nozomi was still staring at the ground with her fists clenched. Nitta bent down and placed a hand on the artist’s knee.  
  
“Did you see him?”  
  
A nod.   
  
“I’ve never seen Nozomi so down before,” Umi toyed with her right nostril piercing.   
  
Nitta shook her head.  
  
“It’s common, but that’s why I’m here to help you all get through this,” Nitta shot a dazzling grin up at Umi and Rin, then turned back to Nozomi.  
  
“Tojo...Nozomi-san, I know that it feels awful, but you cannot give up now. Let’s go through all of our evidence and then maybe go get some tea. There’s a really nice cart next to the third courtroom which does the best chai in Tokyo.”  
  
Nozomi raised her head, meeting Nitta’s kind brown eyes. Thinking about it, Nitta was just trying to keep the mood lighter than the surrounding, and she wouldn’t be helping anyone if she was going to mope. With all the strength she could muster, Nozomi plastered a smile onto her face and nodded robotically.  
  
“Sure,” she then got to her feet and took hold of Rin’s tie to fix up.    
  


* * *

Eli cursed herself for not getting up with Nozomi like she had wanted. Instead, she called Maki for a lift, knowing that the student did not start work at  _ Bibi  _ until later in the afternoon. 

“You can’t just walk there?” Maki whined on the other end of the phone. Eli, with her hair still down, pouted. She was well aware Maki couldn’t see this.  
  
“There’s a reason why Umi picked them up really early, and I’m going to be late. So please, will you take me? I’ll teach you how to do payroll on Sunday.”   
  
“You were going to teach me that anyway,”  
  
“I’ll make it a top priority,” Eli bargained with a lilt in her voice, but her nails dug into her phone. Maki sighed on the other end.  
  
“Fine, but you have to ride with Hanayo.”  
  
“Is that a bad thing?” Eli raised an eyebrow. Hanayo was one of the sweetest, most caring people Eli knew: she was so good with children and didn’t have a bad bone in her body.  
  
“No...I don’t know why I said that...A-Anyway, let us get ready and we’ll pick you up.”   
  
“Thank you so much!” Eli practically hugged the phone as Maki hung up. Eli turned around to get ready. She didn’t have much time.   
  
Ignoring the aching pain on her ankle, she got dressed and shoved a muesli bar down her throat.    
****

* * *

**  
** After going over the absolute final preparations, the door to the court room opened.   
  
“Let’s head in,” Nitta beckoned her clients. The room was not over small, but it wasn’t enormous either.   
  
There were four rows for the public to sit and spectate. Nozomi suddenly thought of the place like The Colosseum in Rome, which she had only visited once when she was there. Would she be one of those unfortunate citizens to be fed to the lions? Would she be a failed warrior with a simple thumbs down from the ruler to end her life?  
  
_ ‘It certainly feels that way,’  _ she thought to herself as Nitta lead them to a desk with four chairs.   
  
“Nozomi-san, you sit next to me on my right. I will go on the end,” Nitta instructed and placed her briefcase on the table, taking a seat on the chair.  
  
Nozomi walked around and made her way through to sit down as per Nitta’s request. Rin sat by Nozomi’s left, and Umi by Rin’s right on the very left side of the desk.   
  
“When the judge comes in, you’ll need to stand and bow,” Nitta opened her briefcase and pulled out some stack of papers.   
  
“Just remember, the prosecutor will go first, so answer with honesty and don’t let them scare you.”   
  
As if on cue, Minami, Tojo and the man entered and sat down at the opposite table. They didn’t even look at the younger people. Nozomi’s heart panged against her chest in fear. The man next to Minami had grey hair and a cleanly shaven face. He shot a quick glance at Nitta, and then back to his clients.   
  
“Do you know him?” Umi asked Nitta, whose shoulders went slightly rigid.  
  
“No, I do not,” she sighed and smiled at the younger women.   
  


* * *

  
Rin, out of curiosity, looked around the courtroom. There were only a few people sitting in the public stands. They were either on their phones, or looking at the back of Umi and Nozomi’s heads. Rin realized that most of these people were middle-aged, and had probably never seen so many tattoos and piercings on one person. There was a mixture of shock and contempt on their faces as they took in Nozomi’s neck tattoo and Umi’s pierced ears. For the third time that week, Rin felt her blood boil. She clenched her fists and thrusted her head down to stare at her black jeans. It was the four of them against some narrow-minded pricks, she thought and scrunched her eyes shut.  
  
Until three people entered the room.   
  
Rin turned to see who it was, and her face instantly lit up. There in the doorway stood Eli and Hanayo. Both were rather frazzled from the cold outside and their pink cheeks, but they grinned upon seeing their friends and lovers.   
  
Rin nudged Nozomi, and then pointed. The tattoo artist turned around and mustered a wink at Eli, who had her blonde hair down.   
  
Hanayo waved at Rin and took a seat in the closest possible row. Eli followed suit and smiled awkwardly.  
  
“You just got here nyaw?” Rin whispered so as not to disturb anyone else, and the two nodded.  
  
“Maki-chan dropped us off,” Hanayo’s quiet voice did not need any changes to her surroundings. Nozomi and Umi were currently engaged in light conversation with Eli. Well, as light as it could be considering the circumstances.   
  
“You’re going to be okay,” Eli said to the both of them since she was unsure of what else to say.  
  
Before Nozomi could respond, another person entered the room. Eli looked up and waved them over.  
  
“You look much better than the last time I saw you, Non-tan.”  
  
“Why are you here,” Nozomi hissed through gritted teeth as Kussun sat down next to Hanayo, taking the edge of the bench. She removed her sunglasses and grinned.  
  
“I can’t support my favourite apprentice?”  
  
“ _ Former  _ apprentice,” Nozomi’s hands balled into fists while Eli awkwardly fixed her blonde hair.  
  
“So is that the douche in question?” Kussun jerked her head towards the male Tojo. Nozomi only nodded and Eli rubbed her back.   
  
“I know I should feel something different but...a purple goatee?”  
  
Umi decided to take over talking, knowing that Kussun was just trying to distract them from what was about to happen.  
  
“Do you not work fridays, Kusuda-san?”  
  
“Nope, the studio isn’t open on Fridays unless there are appointments,” Kussun explained, but she stopped and looked up when a door to the side of the room opened.

* * *

A man in a suit walked into the room.

“Please all rise for the honorable judge Mitsuishi.”  
  
While the prosecutors got to their feet with no struggle, the defendants were much more jagged in their movements.   
  
A woman in black walked out behind the man and sat down at the elevated table. There was a monitor at her eye level, and a stoic expression on her face.    
“So,” her voice was soft, but commanding. The three defendants sat up straight.  
  
“This is a business case brought to court by the prosecutors, Tojo Osamu and his colleague, who is the business manager of  _ Lily White Body Art _ ,” the judge’s eyebrows flew into her hair.   
  
“I have to admit, I was not expecting such a case today...But the prosecutor would like to shut down  _ Lily White Body Art  _ and revoke the tattoo licence belonging to Tojo Nozomi.”   
  
Instantly, The other lawyer stood up and walked out the front. Each time his boots made contact with the floor made Rin blink anxiously.   
**  
** “My clients Tojo-san and Minami-san wish to address an issue that Minami-san found regarding a document within Tojo’s business regarding the apprentice, Hoshizora Rin.”  
  
Again, Rin flinched, and her knee started to shake anxiously.   
  
“Hoshizora-san performed a tattoo on Koizuimi-san, but her teacher, Tojo-san, did not sign the bottom of the form. It is a crucial part of  _ any  _ business to take care of their documents, and not just fiddle around and draw whatever they want onto people’s skin.”  
  
Nozomi felt her heart drop. That was far from true. Next to her, she saw Umi scowl with worry.   
  
“My client does not believe that this business should be allowed to stay open if they cannot manage their documents, and for Tojo’s tattoo licence to be revoked, along with Hoshizora-san’s apprenticeship.”

Rin tensed up and bit her lip.   
  
“For this case, we’d like to present the actual document for all to see.”  
  
“That’s it?” Kussun whispered to Hanayo and Eli. Nitta frowned in thought.   
  
“We’d also like to provide further reason as to why Tojo should have her tattoo licence revoked: A Japanese ‘artist’ getting her qualifications in a foreign country? Not getting an international licence?”  
  
_ ‘He’s wrong,’  _ Nozomi thought with narrowed eyes, and Kussun scoffed behind her.   
  
The lawyer shook his head.  
  
“It’s wrong, and should be dealt with at once.”   
  
With that, he turned around and sat back down. Judge Mitsuishi nodded and looked over at Nitta.  
  
“Let’s now hear from the defendant,” She addressed Nitta, who stood up and looked at the girls with a smile. 

-  
  
Nitta walked out onto the floor, with her hands behind her back. Unlike the prosecuting lawyer, she didn’t have a piece of paper in front of her, completely exposed to the courtroom and judge. What struck most people by surprise was that Nitta managed to keep a smile on her face, as if this was nothing more than just a casual get together.  
  
“While I do believe there is an unnecessary hint of subjectivity the prosecutor directed at us, I assure you that my clients are innocent. We have documentation and witnesses to prove that  _ Lily White Body Art  _ are not the incompetent halfwits that the prosecutor paints them to be. We will be defending the studio to stay open and be against the removal of Tojo-san’s tattoo licence.”  
  
_ ‘That dug deep,’  _ Nozomi thought as she saw her father’s face fall into a frown and Minami’s hands ball into fists.   
  
There was a stunned silence within the hall. Mitsuishi’s eyebrows flicked upwards at the statement.  
  
“Very well, we shall begin with the interviews,” She stated while Nitta sat back down. Nozomi, Umi and Rin were in complete shock as the lawyer adjusted her papers. She must of sensed their staring because she shot back a wide grin. The air around the table felt strangely lighter, as if someone had opened a window.    
“Would Sonoda Umi please take the stand.”  
  
The piercer jumped, but got out of her seat and made her way to the other spot.   
  


* * *

  
“Sonoda-san, how long have you known Tojo-san and Hoshizora-san for?”  
  
Umi felt her throat go dry, and she didn’t recall swallowing a bass drum because her stomach was pounding. She placed her hands on her knees in order to wipe the sweat away and looked at the prosecuting lawyer.  
  
“I have known Noz-  _ Tojo-san  _ for four years, and Hoshizora-san for two months,” Umi spoke clearly and caught herself when she about to call her co-workers by their given names. She was unsure of the etiquette in court, but figured their family names would be respectable.  
  
“What were you doing on the day Hoshizora-san tattooed Koizumi-san?”  
  
“It was like any other day. Organising clients, attending to walk-in customers…”  
  
“Did you have any memory of Tojo-san signing the form for Hoshizora-san to tattoo Koizumi-san?”  
  
“No, but-”  
  
“So the form was not signed?”  
  
“It was signed by the only two people who needed to,” Umi spoke up, not letting herself fall into her fear. She stared at the lawyer and raised her diaphragm up. Behind him, she saw Nitta nodding for her to continue with a gleam in her eyes.  
  
“Would you care to explain?” The prosecuting lawyer's tone was sour, and Umi summoned all of her courage to respond.  
  
“This tattoo was not Hoshizora-san’s first. It is only the first time an apprentice performs a tattoo that their teacher needs to sign the form.”  
  
Instantly, muttering spread throughout the room. In the public area, Umi could see Eli and Hanayo’s eyes shine with joy. Rin’s face could only be described as hopeful while the prosecuting lawyer cleared his throat.  
  
“What do you mean, Sonoda-san?” He was trying his best to remain calm, but Umi could see that he was being crushed.   
  
The piercer’s brown eyes flitted over to Tojo, and she could see him also balling his fists to turn his knuckles white. Umi was reminded of a fallen emperor, and the lawyer was his general. Umi’s eyes flashed as she spoke,   
  
“As I stated: Hoshizora-san is legally allowed to perform tattoos such as that of Koizumi-san’s without Nozomi’s signature, as it was only needed once - on her first ever tattoo. Koizumi-san’s tattoo is not Hoshizora-san’s first, but  _ second _ ,” Umi’s eyes narrowed towards Tojo.  
  
“If Tojo-san was actually apart of his daughter’s life, and  _ not  _ trying to make it unbearable, he would perhaps know what his daughter was up to. I doubt Tojo-san even knew that Nozomi had an apprentice.”  
  
Rin quickly threw a fist into her mouth to stifle what Umi was sure was cheer. Nozomi’s eyebrows flew into her hair as she side glanced at her father, but there was fear on her face. Umi crossed her arms and locked eyes with the lawyer, who looked completely stumped.   
  
“A-Are you aware that your management was not aware of this? Why didn’t you all bring it to their attention?!”   
  
“There is no need,” Nitta stood up and smiled at Umi. Behind the lawyer, Hanayo watched in awe.  
  
“The laws of performing a tattoo does not concern the business management company. The only concern is that they hand in their documents, pay what is needed and alert the management for any changes.”  
  
“My job is to make sure all the documents and paperwork is correct, Nitta-san,” Minami interjected, looking rather pale. Umi instantly backed down out of respect.  
  
Nitta continued to smile, “You yourself did not know the rules of tattooing?”  
  
“There is no need for me to-”  
  
“Exactly, and there is no need to blindly kick up a storm like this if you do not know the rules.”  
  
“Okay, that’s enough,” Mitsuishi clapped her hands together, seeing that Minami was about to bite back.   
  
“Owada-san, was there anything else you wanted to ask Sonoda-san?”  
  
“No…” The prosecuting lawyer, by the name of Owada, answered through his teeth. Umi erased the image of a fallen general and changed it to a bully who just got in trouble by the teacher.   
  
“Would you like to interview anyone else?”  
  
“Koizumi-san,” was the blunt answer.   
  
If Eli had not been next to Hanayo, she would have panicked and fallen onto the ground. 


	47. The Doll House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's a shit and Nitta's on fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who don't know: The judge is Mitsuishi Kotono (Nico's mother's seiyuu/the voice of sailor moon)
> 
> The Doll House - KanonxKanon

Nico left the backroom after adjusting the temperature to warm the flowers in storage, and saw Maki waiting at the front counter with the phone up to her ear and jotting down something in the note pad.  
  
“Everything okay?” Nico asked, placing her hand on the counter and looking up at her fiance. It as weird to think that after three years of dating they were now engaged. Nico thought it was be impossible for her to be any more euphoric than when Maki said yes. Maki turned around with half-lidded eyes and nodded.  
  
“Yes sir, your bouquet will be ready for you next Tuesday, as per your request. We are open from 9am...yes, that’s fine...okay, we’ll see you then,” Maki politely hung up the phone and turned to Nico, looking weary.  
  
“I’m fine, just need to make a few bouquets,” she sighed and stretched out her entire arms. To Nico, she seemed lanky.  
  
“There’s a couple of different ones, so I better get to it,” Maki sighed and walked over to the bench in the corner to start. Nico pondered, watching her fiance get ready, and folded her arms.

“How do you think everyone is at court?”  
  
Maki looked up at the question and shrugged.  
  
“I doubt most of the prosecutor would be making the session a walk in the park, but I think they’re managing. The water isn’t so cold until you dive in.”  
  
“What does that mean?” Nico asked, picking up the notebook Maki had written in to get the details from the client on the phone.  
  
“I mean that it all seems really intimidating until they actually just do it. Take the plunge and all that crap,” Maki elaborated, setting out daisies over lavender paper.    
Nico thought the analogy was rather good, not that she’d admit it - Maki’s ego did  _ not  _ need to be inflated any more, or else she wouldn’t be able to get into the backroom. Looking down at the notebook, Nico walked over to Maki and leaned against her shoulder.  
  
“What’s up?” Maki asked, not shoving the smaller woman away. Nico shrugged and looked around the shop.  
  
“This place is seemed terrifying, but Eli really  _ did  _ take the plunge and made it the best she could,” Nico remembered all the blood, sweat and tears that Eli had put into the place when she took over as manager. Nico was forever grateful for her university friend to offer her a job when she became a washed-up dropout with no income.  
  
Nico couldn’t help but smile at the memory of stepping into the place with her blonde titan of a friend, and the pride that swelled from her upon just being there. Eli was one of her closest friends, although they sometimes disagreed over minor topics, but who didn’t?  
  
When Eli and Nozomi started dating, Nico couldn’t honestly be happier for them. Sure, they were disgustingly in love, constantly swooning over each other and dripping with affection, but it was the first time Nico had seen either of her friends truly happy.  
  
To think some bastard was trying to destroy Nozomi’s livelihood,  _ and  _ the fact that he had the  _ nerve  _ to call Eli’s shop, made Nico’s blood boil.  
  
She clenched her fist and flipped to a new page in the notebook.  
  
“Maki, can you google Tojo O-asshole for me,”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Just google Nozomi’s deadbeat dad, please,” Nico instantly scribbled down a new header in the book, a fire burning inside of her. Maki looked confused, but pulled out her phone and typed Nicos’ request into the search bar.  
  
“What do you want to know?”  
  
“His main office address,” Nico got ready to jot down the address. Once she had it, she slammed the book shut and stormed into the backroom.  
  
“Nico-chan! What are doing?” Maki called after the small woman, who just ignored her.  
  
“Nico-chan!” Maki dropped everything and hurried to the back room to make sure her fiancé wasn’t blowing the place up.    
  
Nico stood in the temperature controlled room, picking out flowers with a stern look on her face. She was lucky that Eli imported such exotic and rare flowers for the shop, because it would surely come in handy for this.  
  
“Maki, pass me the orange lilies,” Nico jerked a twin tail to her right as she reached up to grab a few yellow carnations. Maki hesitantly picked up some orange lilies as per Nicos’ request and held them tentatively.  
  
“Nico-chan, what the  _ hell  _ are you doing,” Maki’s voice was low as Nico got down from her step stool with yellow, pink, red and yellowish-green flowers in a vase. The look of determination on her face stayed as Nico opened her mouth, indicating for Maki to place the lilies there.  
  
“Im gonnah thend a gifth to athhole Tojo,” her speech was impaired by the flowers, and her voice wavered while she trotted out of the backroom to the the station at the counter. Maki followed, suspicious as to what Nico was up to.  
  
Nico laid out the flowers and bent down to get a sheet of black paper. Before Maki could even ask again, Nico removed the orange lilies from her mouth and flared her nostrils.  
  
“I honestly don’t give a shit about the language of flowers, unlike Eli, but I do know this: Yellow carnations are for disappointment,” Nico readied the flowers into their positions.  
  
“Meadowsweet is for uselessness,” she placed the yellowish-green flowers into the mix and shuffled them into a nicer formation.  
  
“Foxglove is for insincerity,” she wrapped up the striking bouquet.  
  
“Geraniums is stupidity,” Nico used her teeth to clip off a piece of tape to hold everything in place.  
  
“And orange lilies are for hatred,” Nico flashed her quick bouquet at Maki with a triumphant smirk. Maki blinked, and looked down at the bouquet. The black paper really accentuated all of the bright colours of the flowers, but upon Nico telling her their meaning, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of loathing towards it.  
  
“Uhm...I don’t get it,” Maki twirled at an awkward strand of hair, but Nico just groaned and pulled out the notebook again.  
  
“Maki, you’re dense.”  
  
Before the redhead could protest, Nico shot out her middle finger with a smile.  
  
“I am going to send Asshole Tojo a bouquet that means ‘fuck you’ in flower.”  
  
Maki tried her hardest to scowl, but she couldn’t keep her look of disappointment on her face. It was a stupid idea, and Nico would definitely an earful from Eli  _ and  _ Nozomi, but from she had heard about the bastard, Maki picked up the phone and pulled out a delivery form.  


* * *

 

“So Koizumi-san, how did you hear about  _ Lily White Body Art? _ ”  
  
Rin could see Hanayo visibly curl into herself. Having known her for so long, Rin saw all of those dreaded high school class presentations return for Hanayo, judging from the mortification in her bleary eyes.  
  
“...ner…”  
  
“You’ll have to speak up, Koizumi-san,” Owada still spoke with gritted teeth and clenched fists. It was making Rin angry, as if the man was about to hurt Hanayo.  
  
“Hoshizora-san is my p-p-p-partner.”  
  
“Is that so?” Owada turned to raise an eyebrow at Rin, who was just about ready to lunge at him. Nozomi placed a hand on Rin’s leg to keep her sitting.  
  
“I...I wanted to be one of the first people to get tattooed by Ri-Hoshizora-san.”  
  
“Were you aware of the rules regarding the documentation?”  
  
“I knew that I had to sign my consent, but I did not know Tojo-san had to sign either,” Hanayo looked over at Nozomi and smiled shyly.  
  
“But since Hoshizora-san’s first tattoo was on Tojo-san, then I think they will be okay.”  
  
“You’re jumping to conclusions,” Owada cut across her scowled.  
  
“Where is this alleged ‘document’ that somehow proves their innocence, anyway?”  
  
“Right here,” Nitta held up the document as if it was some holy relic. Rin smiled up at it - her ray of hope.  
  
Owada took a shaking breath through his nostrils as Tojo tensed up at once. Nitta handed it to the judge to read.  
  
“We aren’t  _ talking  _ about that document, your honor.”  
  
“But I am doing my job of defending my client about the current case, Owada-san, so this document is what we will talk about,” Nitta said while she returned to her seat. At this point, Owada looked like he was just about ready to storm out of the room in rage.    
  
Hanayo caught Rin’s eye and gulped. Rin wanted nothing more than to rush over there and give the girl a hug. Owada turned and shot another glance at Rin, who steeled herself.  
  
“Were  _ you  _ aware of the document, Hoshizora-san?” His voice was made of venom.  
  
“Wait until Hoshizora-san is on the stand, Owada-san,” Mitsuishi put the lawyer back in his place and looked down at Hanayo.  
  
“Is it necessary to interview this young woman?”  
  
“She was present! The tattoo is on her neck!” Owada hissed, all form of control gone.  
  
Rin couldn’t help but notice the difference in lawyers. Owada looked ready to murder someone (which would turn the tables drastically for his life,) and Nitta seemed...excited to be there.  
  
“So, Koizumi-san, you signed the bottom of the document, didn’t you?”  
  
“I did…” Hanayo retracted into herself and cast another fearful gaze at Rin, who nodded for her to keep going.  
  
Owada stormed back to the table where Tojo and Minami sat, and pulled out the document that started this entire mess.  
  
“It’s there.”  
  
“And?” Mitsuishi drawled, sounding more dull than before.  
  
“I beg your pardon?”  
  
“Are we not here to talk about the documentation in regards to Hoshizora-san and Tojo-san?”  
  
“Yes, but-”  
  
“Koizumi-san, you are dismissed,” Mitsuishi looked at the girl and nodded back to the seat.  
  
As Hanayo scuttled back to her seat next to Eli, Tojo shot a look over at Nozomi. It struck the artist’s heart like a sharp, cold sword. The man beckoned his lawyer over and spoke quietly to him.  
  
When Owada straightened up, he turned back to the judge.  
  
“I’d like Tojo-san to take the stand,” and he pointed at Nozomi.  


* * *

  
Paying attention in history classes was always difficult, unless the subject was ridiculously interesting. That had been Roman history for Nozomi. As she sat at the chair, hands in her lap, she stared around at everyone in the courtroom. Nozomi went back to her original thought of the place being the Colosseum, and she was about to be fed to the lions or deal with a savage gladiator.  
  
Upon visiting the Colosseum during her time in Italy, she could imagine the lion feeding and gladiator fights quite clearly. However, she had always been a spectator during these thoughts: always in the stands, not the actual arena herself.  
  
So there she sat, in the arena, staring down a furious looking man whose forehead was beading in a livid sweat.  
  
“So, Tojo-san, how long have you been a tattoo artist?”  
  
“Approaching five years,” Nozomi answered in her most controlled voice possible, locking eyes with the suited gladiator so as to not look at her father.  
  
“And Hoshizora-san is your first apprentice?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Owada took a deep breath, and Nozomi noticed her was a tooth on the bottom row.  
  
“So this alleged ‘first tattoo’ Hoshizora-san did is apparently on you.”  
  
“Correct,” Nozomi clenched her fists.  
  
“When was it done?”  
  
“Last month,” Nozomi answered, feeling herself swell up with a chance to bite back at the fumbling lawyer.  
  
“I-Is it visible as proof?”  
  
“Owada-san, that is not necessary,” Mitsuishi looked ready to throw her face into her palm, but Nozomi steeled herself and moved her side braid aside and turned her head.  
  
The tattoo was visible to all.  
  
Kussun smiled and winked at Nozomi while Tojo let out a snort through his nostrils and turned away.  
  
“I don’t understand why that was important, but to be frank, I think we should hear from Tojo-san about her way of managing documentation.  
  
Nozomi moved her side braid back and folded her arms in thought.  
  
“It’s a natural habit for me to get the documentation ready. However, since the tattoo Hoshizora-san was performing was quite special, of course my mind wondered. However, it did not wonder when Hoshizora-san tattooed  _ me,  _ as it was a very raw educational procedure for her training.”  
  
“So you could remember to sign that form, but not one on an actual client?” Owada looked as though he had an opening to strike, but Nozomi’s small smile and the information she had memorised from all that time spent with Nitta was her counter.  
  
“I was a client myself. I paid for the tattoo, presented my identification and got what I wanted just like any other client. As I’m sure we have been over before, the first client is the only time the tattoo artist has to sign the form for the apprentice.”  
  
“What rubbish is this? What kind of law is that?” Owada was stunned and seemed that the only thing he could do now was to throw insults. Nozomi sighed and looked over at Nitta, who waved a hand that clearly indicated for her not to worry.  
  
“One that you are clearly not aware of, Owada-san. It’s a very subjective line of work,” Nozomi managed to get out before her voice crumbled away, along with the sudden attack of anxiety that stabbed her in the back. The fallen lawyer stuffed his hands in his pockets and dismissed Nozomi with a grumble.  
  
“The last person to interview is Hoshizora-san.”  
  
Suddenly, just mentioning Rin’s family name gave Nozomi an idea. She had no idea how this would play out, but she remembered what Kussun and Nitta had said some time back in one of their meetings.  
  
“Actually, I’d like to say something else while I am up here,” Nozomi leaned forward and looked over at Minami.  
  
“Minami-san, you showed the document to Tojo-san, didn’t you?”  
  
“Yes, I did,” was the curt response. Umi looked worried on the side, but Nozomi kept going, and Nitta instantly picked up on what she was doing. The female lawyer nodded slightly and spoke up, “I’d much rather we bring Minami-san up next rather than Hoshizora-san, your honor.”  
  
Owada grimaced at the action, but the judge allowed it, seemingly not minding that they were jumping right over to the prosecutor for interviewing.  
  
Nozomi walked away from the stand with her head held high. She had managed to defeat the gladiator as best as she could, but knew she would now have to deal with the lions.   


* * *

 

“Minami-san, you have managed  _ Lily White Body Art’s  _ business for how long, now?”  
  
“Under a month.”  
  
“And has their documentation and records seemed odd at any time?”  
  
“Only recently.”  
  
All of Minami’s answers were curt. Nitta quickly scurried through her bag for something as the two continued.  
  
“Do you have any relation to anyone at  _ Lily White Body Art _ ?”  
  
“Sonoda-san is soon to be my daughter-in-law, but that is all.”  
  
“When you took over managing the business, did you inform Tojo-san, the owner?”  
  
“Yes, I did.”  
  
“And when did you send the document off to Tojo-san, your boss?”  
  
“The day after it was given to me.”  
  
“I’d like to make an objection there, your honor,” Nitta raised her hand as she straightened up with a large smile. Owada groaned as the judge allowed Nitta to speak.   
“Minami-san, you shared a private document with someone who has no connection to the business?”  
  
“Tojo-san is my boss,” Minami started slowly, unsure of what was happening. Nitta had placed her fingers on top of what she had pulled out of her bag: a thick book.  
  
“Your boss, yes, but part of  _ Lily White Body Art’s  _ business?”  
  
“No, he is not,”  
  
“So you gave out private documentation from a private business to an outside business? I doubt Tojo-san himself runs a tattoo parlour.”  
  
“Of course I don’t, it’s disgusting,” came the growl from Tojo. Nitta turned back to Minami with a raised eyebrow. Minami had been caught: hook, line and sinker.   
“Why  _ did  _ you send that document off to Tojo-san?”  
  
Minami fell silent instantly, and ducked her head. She was silent for a few moments, then raised her head and bit her lip.  
  
“Tojo-san tattooed my daughter...She never told me she was getting it done...”  
  
“You mean to tell me you threw an entire business into this vortex of a mess just because Tojo-san tattooed your daughter, who is a legal adult and able to make her own decisions?” Nitta spoke slowly, to make sure Minami heard what she sounded like. Tojo, on the other hand, looked furious. He did not say anything, but just glowered at the defendants in a silent seething rage.  
  
“I’d like to call a recess, and then  _ I  _ would like to properly interview Hoshizora-san and Tojo-san,” Nitta looked over at Tojo with a solemn expression. Mitsuishi did not oppose this, and granted them ten minutes.  
  


* * *

 

“We’re...doing well?” Rin blinked a few times to comprehend what she had just heard. The group stood outside of the courtroom, minus Nozomi, who wanted to smoke and Eli, who wanted to provide her girlfriend some company.  
  
“Yes, Rin-san,  _ very  _ well, so there’s nothing to worry about at this stage. Nozomi-san did a fantastic job by turning the tables on the prosecutor's by pointing out Minami-san’s reasoning to ratting you out,” Nitta grinned, not seeming to be breaking a sweat. Inside, they saw Owada scavenge through a heap of documents with a livid Tojo.  
  
“It’s not one the judge will be impressed with?”  
  
“Not in the slightest,” Nitta rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, not caring about the seriousness of the situation. Umi awkwardly rubbed her arm and bit her lip.  
  
“She probably hates me by now…”  
  
“Don’t say that, Umi-san,” Nitta placed a hand on the piercer’s shoulder and smiled brightly.  
  
“We’re not going to rat on her anymore, we’re moving onto Tojo-san, because the dirt we managed to get on him will surely give us a home run on this case.”   
  


* * *

 

“I never want to be here ever again,” Nozomi puffed out the synthetic smoke and leaned against Eli’s shoulder with her eyes closed. Her nerves were on fire, and her mind was swirling with anxious thoughts. Eli sighed and pulled Nozomi closer to her, but angled herself away as to not be in the line of smoke.  
  
“I can imagine you wouldn’t, but you are doing so well,” Eli softly said to Nozomi, more than happy to just stand with her girlfriend. She wrapped her securely and hummed softly as the wind lazily blew around them. Eli looked up at the sky, blinking slowly and Nozomi took another drag of the e-cigarette.  
  
“When will this be over,” Nozomi murmured and nuzzled closer while Eli continued to stroke her hair.  
  
“Soon, I hope. Just keep it up,” Eli felt hopeless that she couldn’t do anything apart from sit next to a terrified Hanayo and smirking Kussun the entire time. Eli longed to just take Nozomi home and fawn over her as if she were the queen of Sheba. If she could take the stand, she’d tear the man apart, just like how Umi and Nitta were doing in their own ways. On top of being an artist, Tojo was livid upon realising his daughter was in love with another woman. As awful as Eli thought about it, she was lucky the man had not tried to separate them, but making his daughter’s life a living hell still made Eli sick to her stomach.    
  
Eli was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the tiny footsteps that belonged to Hanayo, who was walking down the pavement with her phone in her hand.  
  
“Eli-chan? Nozomi-chan?” Hanayo saw the two standing there, and instantly blushed.  
  
Eli smiled at the younger girl, “Don’t worry, Hanayo-chan, you’re not interrupting anything.”  
  
Hanayo approached slowly, like some baby animal towards food. She gave a timid smile and tapped away at her phone.  
  
“I’m just texting Maki-chan about what time to pick me up…” Hanayo’s voice trailed off and Eli caught the look in her eye. Maki was not a good driver- she was  _ horrible.  _ Poor Hanayo clung to the side for the car as her flatmate ran three red lights and didn’t stop for any pedestrians.  
  
She would spend half the time looking at her lipstick in the mirror or sipping on her coffee, and Eli thought about how she was only doing this for Nozomi as her life flashed before her eyes.  
  
“You don’t want to ride with Umi?” Eli’s eye twitched, and Hanayo bit her lip again.  
  
“I don’t think there’s room, and Rin-chan wants to go straight home and Maki-chan has a bigger car-”  
  
“Well, Maki  _ will  _ get you home quicker than Umi,” Eli thought out loud, then her phone vibrated.  
  
“I’ll just take this quickly, then I’ll meet you back inside,” Eli smiled at Hanayo, then gently kissed Nozomi and untangled herself from their side-standing hug position.    
  
As Eli walked away, Nozomi opened her eyes and smiled at the younger girl in front of her.  
  
Hanayo fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. She had so much respect for Nozomi, as an artist and as Rin’s mentor. Hanayo was always in awe whenever Rin showed her the tattoo artist’s work, and it only inspired Hanayo to stay at her uni and complete her course.  
  
“Are you enjoying the show, Hanayo-chan?” Nozomi sounded tired as she breathed out smoke. Hanayo couldn’t respond properly, so she just shrugged.  
  
“I don’t like seeing you all in there...it’s not right…and your father is very scary.”  
  
Nozomi chuckled lightly, “he looks it, doesn’t he?”  
  
“We...we bumped into him last night, when Rin-chan and I went for dinner,” Hanayo looked down to avoid looking at Nozomi, as if she was in trouble.  
  
A purple eyebrow quirked up, “Did he hurt you?”  
  
“N-No!” Hanayo squeaked, jumping as if Nozomi had just tazed her.  
  
“He didn’t hurt us, we just accidentally walked into him and then he looked down at Rin-chan’s arm and muttered something, and I had to hold back Rin-chan-”  
  
Nozomi’s expression grew dark and her eyes narrowed. Hanayo felt her blood run cold at the scowl forming on the artist’s face.  
  
“It’s bad enough he likes to make  _ my  _ life hard, but he will  _ not  _ get away with insulting Rin-chan,” Nozomi growled, and it was scaring Hanayo.  
  
Nozomi clenched her fists and the smoke came out of her nose, looking like an angry dragon.  
  
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t do that again.”  
  
“N-Nozomi-chan! Please don’t do anything rash!” Hanayo pleaded quickly. It was bad enough Rin was ready to take on the man last night.  
  
“He’s a homophobic, narrow-minded, obnoxious person, Hanayo-chan. I’m not going to stand for it.”  
  
Hanayo reached forward and placed a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder. Nozomi’s eyes looked from the hand back to Hanayo.  
  
“Please, neither of you need to make the situation worse. You’re all so strong and being fair,”  
  
The younger woman had watery eyes and an expression that seemed to calm Nozomi down. _ ‘Hanayo-chan is right,’  _ Nozomi thought,  
_  
_ _ ‘We’re already at the courthouse, and there’s no point in kicking up a further storm,’  _ Nozomi furrowed her brows and moved and sighed.  
  
“You’re right, Hanayo-chan,” Nozomi looked down and folded her arms. 

“We can only keep going as we are and hope that the judge understands us.”  
  
“I think the judge is leaning towards you all,” Hanayo’s voice was small.  
  
“She didn’t seem too pleased with Minami’s reasoning for outing that document.”  
  
“None of us were,” Nozomi sighed again and took the e-cigarette out of her mouth for a moment, closing her eyes.  
  
“Kotori-chan is a legal adult, and she chose to get a tattoo. She signed the forms and showed me her ID. It’s very frustrating, and it’s worse because I can understand it,” Nozomi opened her eyes, looking into the violet.  
  
“My first tattoo was in Rome, and it was the chariot tarot right here,” Nozomi pointed to her right forearm.  
  
“My mother was in hospital and was quite shocked, but upon realising that I am a legal adult, she learnt to understand that this was my choice. My father never accepted it...he could barely accept me being an artist and not a corporate doll for him to dress up and get to join his company,” Nozomi smiled sadly, looking more like a grimace.  
  
“Growing up with him...was like living in a dollhouse. He wanted me to do everything he said and gave me creative freedom whatsoever. When we disagreed, he threw me in boarding school, which is just another dollhouse.”  
  
“It sounds awful, Nozomi-chan,” Hanayo left her hand on Nozomi’s shoulder to provide some sort of comfort now.  
  
“It was, to be honest,” Nozomi relaxed at the squeeze Hanayo gave her, and her face fell some more into a determined frown.  
  
“Which is why I’m not going to let him get away with anything.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES I KNOW I AM NOZOPANA TRASH IT'S UNAVOIDABLE.  
> Psst if you like nozopana, check out the gaymestop!au 
> 
> Prompt for the first scene: http://lovepsychothefirst.tumblr.com/post/145978926636/flower-shop-au
> 
> #Baddrivermaki: post/148195086549/so-i-was-talking-to-my-gr8-m8-68bears-and-we
> 
> My magnum opus: post/148243414184/tarot-tatas-my-magnum-opusthis-took-six


	48. Merciful Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Umi no, Emitsun yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merciful Dwelling – Dax Johnson

******** “Okay you little masterchefs, let’s clean up!” Kotori clapped her hands together as eight smiles widened. Their ‘cooking’ class had finished, and the photos of their play-dough pasta were already on camera.   
  
Kotori always liked to have the children help in packing away so that Honoka didn’t have to (that, and by some miracle, the three-year-olds were cleaner than the twenty-five-year-old coworker. Kotori hummed along with the children as they washed their bowls and put them on the rack to dry. When her eight little angels were done, Kotori allowed them to go to the reading room. She _ would  _ let them go play with Honoka’s eight, but the last time that happened, it was an explosion of screaming children, tiny arm wrestling and a very very rare trip to the dark, terrifying prison that was the naughty corner.   
  
Kotori ushered the last of her eight into the reading room, but when she counted them, had a small heart attack upon realising there were only seven. She whirled around on her heel, and sighed with relief upon seeing the youngest child still at the sink.   
  
“Maru-chan,” Kotori put a hand on her heart, shuffling toward to address the smallest child of her group. The soft brown eyes flash with fear as Kotori knelt down.  
  
“Don’t worry, Maru-chan, you’re not in trouble,” Kotori read the girl’s expression and smiled when the child visibly relaxed.  
  
“I thought you would be the first to go to the reading room,”   
  
The three-year-old shook her head, and pointed to the bowls. Her yellow jumper was too big for her, so her hands were covered but her fingers stuck out.  
  
“Zura..”  
  
“Oh, you wanted to make sure the bowls were done?” Kotori asked, and Hanamaru nodded.  
  
“Zura.”  
  
“That’s okay, good girl for checking,” Kotori lightly pet the child on the head.   
  
“Now let’s head into the reading room, okay?” She straightened up and held out her hand for the infant. Hanamaru took it and allowed herself to be lead out by Kotori.   
  
It was rare for Kotori to be anything but chipper, but when her fiancé was in a courthouse, no doubt filled with narrow-minded people, it was hard to maintain her smile. How Honoka was able to do it was a mystery, even throughout all the years of knowing her. Sure, there were times where Honoka would need a day to herself to feel down, but straight after, she’d be back to her regular self.   
  
Kotori was not so consistent. She was so sporadic in her rare waves of sadness, but at least she had a strong front to keep them hidden behind her chipper facade. She took a deep breath in through her nose and widened her smile for the children she was about to read to.   
  
Before she even set foot into the room, Kotori’s phone rang. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket and recognized the number.  
  
“Umi-chan?” She couldn’t hide her worry as she answered the phone.  
  
“Kotori, is everything okay?”  
  
“I should be asking you that,” Kotori leaned against the pastel blue wall.  
  
“We’re going okay, it’s a recess now, and Nozomi just returned from outside with Hanayo. We need to ask you something, it’s rather important.”  
  
“Oh, okay,” Kotori immediately snapped into serious mode and straightened up.  
  
“Over the last few weeks, have you received any calls that were just berating Nozomi?”  
  
Kotori hummed in thought, and moved the phone away from her ear to talk to her eight,  
  
“Kotori-ne is just going to be a minute,” She smiled and then made a gesture for Honoka, who was outside, to just keep an eye on her eight while she went to the front desk of the centre.  
  
“Not from memory, but I can go back through the messages and have a look,” Kotori put the phone down again and played through all the messages left on the reception phone. It was just a few mothers saying they might be late to collect their children, one from Honoka when she was at the store to ask about which window cleaner to get, and one about the electrician who had to fix a light in the bathroom.   
  
“There’s nothing there, thank goodness,” Kotori said once she picked up her mobile again and placed it against her ear. Umi hummed in thought,   
  
“Okay, that’s good, because if Tojo called you, he would have had to deal with me.”  
  
“Umi-chan, please do not murder Nozomi-chan’s father,” Kotori furrowed her brows, but Umi’s voice dropped an octave.  
  
“He has given us all a hard time and even called Rin’s tattoo ‘disgusting,’ Kotori, I would not mind ending back up in court for the reason being his blood on my hands.”  
  
“Umi-chan, that’s enough,” Kotori’s voice was curt as she scolded her fiancé for having such dark and murderous thoughts. She could feel the thick desire that hung like a haze around Umi through the phone.   
  
“Umi-chan, relax. We’re going to deal with him in a civil way,” Nozomi’s voice sounded from what Kotori imagined would be next to Umi.   
  
“Kotori-chan, you said there were no calls or emails from him?” Nozomi addressed Kotori, who went onto the computer and scrolled through the inbox.  
  
“No, there’s nothing here,” she said, a little sad.   
  
“Was there anything from your mother?”   
  
Kotori scrolled through the emails again, and responded with the same answer: nothing.  
  
“Hmm, okay that’s fine, we have other evidence to use,” Nozomi muttered to herself, but then just thanked Kotori and was replaced with Umi’s familiar voice.  
  
“Are you okay, Kotori?”  
  
Kotori turned around to sit on the desk slightly. She closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
“I’m fine, but I’m worried about you, Umi-chan.”  
  
“Don’t, we’re doing well. Your mother just went to the stand and explained why she even started this whole thing and the judge is not impressed.”  
  
Kotori fell silent. She loved her mother, but she couldn’t believe her reaction to her making an adult decision and going so far to threaten shutting down Nozomi’s business, and Umi’s job.   
  
“Hey, please do not cry,”  
  
“I wasn’t going to but now look what you’ve done,” Kotori’s voice broke and tears started to swell up. Umi was her entire world, and the thought of her being put through such a stressful situation by the woman who raised her was a nightmare. A nightmare coming true.  
  
“Kotori please,  _ please  _ stop crying,” Umi pleaded into the phone, and Kotori didn’t need to see Umi in front of her to know that the body piercer would be fiddling with her snakebite with her tongue.    
  
“Please believe me when I say everything is going to be okay. We have strong evidence and there is nothing for you to worry about.”  
  
Kotori continued to let tears silently trickle down her face, like a melting ice sculpture.  
  
“How about if you stop crying, I will not kill the bastard.”  
  
Kotori let out a snort of a giggle. Umi’s sense of humour was warped and dry, but Kotori always appreciated it.  
  
“Upon your honour, Umi-chan?”   
  
The piecer chuckled.  
  
“Upon my honour of the Sonoda household and as your fiancé.”   
  


* * *

  
  
Nitta had a notebook in her hand and was scribbling down notes while Umi finished up talking to Kotori. Nozmoi sat next to Nitta was her head on Eli’s shoulder, who was next to Nozomi.   
  
“This is a very last minute push, but I do believe we can truly win this case with the information we just received,” Nitta grinned, circling something a few times.   
  
“I wish Maki told me earlier that he called,” Eli grumbled, rolling her foot around. Nozomi slapped her thigh.  
  
“Don’t move it, Elichi.”  
  
“But it itches,” Eli whined, making Nozomi roll her eyes and lift her head off of the blonde’s shoulder.  
  
“Just leave it be, unless you want a distorted tattoo.”  
  
Eli fell silent, just as the doors to the courtroom opened again.  
  
“Recess is over, we will continue with the case.”   
  
“Okay everyone, just remember what to do. Rin-san, you’re going to be on the stand first,” Nitta looked to the apprentice sitting on her left side holding Hanayo’s hand. Rin paled, but Hanayo squeezed her hand tightly.   
  


* * *

Running from the police after a night of graffiti was something Rin would much rather be doing than sitting in court. All eyes were on her, no doubt taking in her undercut, eyebrow piercing, stretched ears and her unbuttoned jacket. 

“Hoshizora-san, how long have you been Tojo-san’s apprentice?”  
  
Rin knew Nitta was just doing her job, but she couldn’t help but feel incredibly nervous. Her knees were shaking furiously, and her nails were digging into the palms of her hands.   
  
“Three months,” Rin spoke into the microphone, catching Hanayo’s gaze like she had done for her.  
  
“And you remember tattooing Tojo-san?”  
  
“Yes, I do,” Rin’s voice was starting to shake from nerves. Nozomi tried to offer a smile for hope, but Rin ended up running a hand through her hair out of worry. Nitta also sent a calming look at the apprentice, but it didn’t seem to do much except suggesting for Rin to elaborate.  
  
“It was an hour until we had to close the store, and Nozomi-senpai presented me with the idea,” Rin winced at her mistake of using her boss’s first name, but just kept talking.  
  
“She said that the first tattoo I do will be in an awkward area to make the rest of it seem a bit easier.”  
  
“Did it work?” Nitta rested against the stand, treating it like a conversation rather than an interview.   
  
“Yes, I...I think...there was still pressure on me doing Kayo-uhm… Koizumi-san’s tattoo, but I was able to maneuver the machine much easier,” Rin felt more relaxed when Nitta was closer.   
  
Tojo scoffed, and Owada scowled. Nitta ignored both of them and continued.  
  
“You signed the form for Koizumi-san’s tattoo, didn’t you?”  
  
“Yes, I did, and the form for Tojo-senpai’s tattoo also has my signature,” Rin looked over at Nozomi, who smiled back.   
  
“Did you know the rules of being an apprentice?”  
  
“I do know them I...just kinda forgot about them,” Rin sheepishly scratched at the back of her head, and the judge let out a small sigh.  
  
“Hoshizora-san, from what evidence has been presented today, I highly recommend learning the laws of tattooing by heart. Just so we do not have to go through this again,”  
  
“Yes, your honour,” Rin answered immediately and bowed her respect. The judge shuffled her papers and looked from Nitta to Owada.  
  
“If that is all the interviewing for today, then I will proceed with making a verdict,”  
  
Nitta quickly looked over at Nozomi, who nodded.  
  
“Actually, your honour, I’d like to interview one last person,” Nitta quickly but politely chimed. The judge raised an eyebrow, and Nitta turned to look at the male Tojo, who was silently staring at the wall.   
  
“Tojo-san, will you please take the stand,” Nitta faced the man, ignoring the worried look from Umi behind her. 

* * *

Nozomi’s entire childhood flashed before her eyes: reading in the garden, only to have her father carry her inside. Drawing in her room next to her mother, and the look of disappointment from her father as he watched on by the doorway. Coming home from school with her eyes full of tears upon being bullied, and not getting any reaction from her father as her mother rushed forward to hug her.

Moving to Italy after school was one of the best decisions Nozomi had ever made, and upon skyping with her parents to tell them about her newly started apprenticeship, the fury her father must have felt turned his face white. Losing her mother and not being allowed to grant her wishes because Tojo Osamu refused her to was something she couldn’t live with.  
  
But upon hearing that he had called Rin, her apprentice, her friend, practically the little sister she never had ‘disgusting,’ was the final nail in the coffin.   
  
“How did you gain access to the document, Tojo-san?” Nitta asked as Nozomi seethed in a silent rage, doing her best to not let the cold wave of fear battle with the fumes inside of her.   
  
“Minami-san works for me, and she sent me it. I got in touch with my lawyer and we went forward with the prosecution.”  
  
Nitta was trying her best to keep her smile present, and Eli grabbed the wooden railing so hard that her knuckles were turning white.   
  
“Now you are my client’s father, correct?”  
  
“Yes,” Tojo’s voice was low and monotone as he stared down at Nozomi with disgust on his face. Nozomi’s blood ran cold, and Umi placed a hand on her knee as a sign of comfort. Nitta sighed and her shoulders dropped. She looked at him furrowed brows.  
  
“Why would you go out of your way to make your daughter, your own flesh and blood, suffer?”  
  
White noise rung in everyone’s ears. Tojo pursed his lips and scowled at Nitta.  
  
“She broke the business law, and Minami was just telling me.”  
  
“So you did not turn down Minami-san showing you a document that is private to a business?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Nitta blinked, then crossed her arms.  
  
“Tojo-san, why did you try to shut down  _ Lily White Body Art  _ two years ago?”  
  
Tojo went silent, and murmuring continued throughout the room. Minami’s eyebrows flew into her hair as the man’s knuckles turned white.  
  
“Aren’t we supposed to be addressing the issue of a document being unsi-”  
  
“With all due respect, Tojo-san, we have established that it is no real issue that the document was unsigned,” Nitta cut him off and did not break eye contact.   
  
“You made bribes to the old business manager to shut down the studio, and even tried to forge a liquidation request.”  
  
Tojo wrinkled his nose as Nozomi silently thanked the receptionist at Nitta’s office for digging out those files from the stack the had left in Nitta’s office. A quick photo and email later, Nitta had then on her phone. Nitta started to pace with her hands behind her back.  
  
“Why have you tried to shut down  _ Lily White Body Art  _ more than once?”

There was no answer, but Nitta kept firing away.  
  
“Why did you call  _ Bibi Flowers,  _ a shop that has nothing to do with you to berate your daughter? Why did you call Hoshizora-san’s tattoos ‘disgusting?’ Why do you go out of your way to make your daughter’s life a living hell?”  
  
“Nitta-san,” the judge had a warning tone in her voice that made Nitta back down. Tojo looked over at Nozomi again and without batting an eyelid, said only one sentence.  
  
“It does not matter what I do because in my eyes, she is not my daughter.”  
  
Umi shot to her feet, as did Rin. Nozomi had to yank them back into their seats as her eyes started to brim with tears. Eli also stood up, but Hanayo wrapped her hands around her waist and forced her to sit down too. Kussun’s mouth dropped open as Nitta clenched her fists.

“So just because your daughter - by blood - did not choose to be like you, is the reason you have practically disowned her?”  
  
“Nitta.”  
  
The judge shot the lawyer another look, then fixed her papers again.  
  
“I have heard enough.”   



	49. Forgive & Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two types of old people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive & Forget - The Kooks

Silence fell over the courtroom as everyone held their breath. Umi and Rin were still looking merciless as they wanted to tear the man in half, but Judge Mitsuishi looked down at her hands.  
  
“From what evidence and interviews we have done here today, I find the defendant not guilty.”   
  
A lightning bolt of euphoria struck Nozomi, Umi and Rin. Nozomi let the tears fall while Umi threw her head in her hands and Rin slumped back into her chair. Whatever happened next was a blur to Nozomi - she felt a hand clap on her shoulder and saw a smile directed at her from Nitta.  
  
The judge turned to look at Tojo with disgust on her face,   
  
“I have never seen a father go out of his way to berate his daughter.”   
  
Her tone made Minami look down with an expression Nozomi had never seen before. The judge continued to talk about the fines Tojo would have to pay, but Nozomi wasn’t paying attention. She felt Eli’s hand on her shoulder, and turned around to see the blonde smiling at her with watery eyes. Hanayo as well, but seemed to be bouncing up and down in her seat from excitement.  
  
Rin turned around as well and beamed at her girlfriend. Nitta rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet as she listened to the judge’s request to investigate Tojo further, but it was just white noise for Nozomi.   
  
She was innocent, so was Rin and Umi. They would not be losing their jobs. They were not guilty. They could continue their lives and the business.   
  
Nozomi threw her face into her hands as she tried comprehend everything.   
  
Judge Mitsuishi hit her gavel just as Tojo sent one final glance over at his daughter. 

Rin turned back to look at the man as the doors to the courtroom opened and people start to file out. She stood up and her legs carried her over to Tojo, her fists clenched.

“Tojo-san, do you know of Schrödinger’s Cat?” Rin’s brain was on autopilot, and she could practically feel the worry coming from Hanayo, Umi, Rin and Eli. Kussun had stood up and cautiously peered at the apprentice.   
  
Before Tojo could respond, Rin kept talking, her voice shaking.   
  
“It’s about a live cat in a box, and there’s a device of hydrocy...hydr-hydrocyanic acic, a radioactive substance...which is a poisonous toxin.”  
  
Rin wasn’t sure how she was doing this, standing and talking directly to the man that had made that prosecuted her, but she kept going.  
  
“They say if something were to interrupt the box, a mechanism will trip a hammer to set off the vial and kill the cat. What is means is you don’t know if the cat is alive or dead.”  
  
Tojo looked at the apprentice dully. Rin knew he did not care, but she scowled down at him with disgust.  
  
“You are an outsider looking in on the box that is Nozomi-senpai’s life. You think you can just trip a hammer and think she will crumble, but she won’t. Nozomi-senpai is ten times the human you will ever be. You think just because you’re this big poisonous toxin that you can hurt her?!”  
  
Nozomi got to her feet and hurried over to Rin, grabbing her shoulder and dragging her back. She was terrified as to what her father would do.   
  
“Rin-chan, please don’t,” she begged her apprentice, but Rin shoved forward out of her teacher’s grip and raised her voice.  
  
“You think just because you have power and have traumatised her with your shitty values and hatred of her creativity that you can make her life a living hell?!”  
  
“Rin!” Nozomi grabbed Rin’s shoulder again and pulled her back with all the force she could muster. Rin glared darkly at Tojo, then grit her teeth,   
  
“Being creative is not a crime, Tojo.”  
  
Rin then turned and stalked off back to their small group on the other side of the courtroom. Nozomi’s eyes flitted to her father quickly, and she took a deep breath to calm the storm swirling within her stomach.  
  
“Rin-chan is right. It’s not my fault I am an artist, and I love whom I love," Nozomi looked over her should straight into Eli's glistening blue eyes that were etched with alertness. Nozomi knew Eli would be watching the interaction and would step in if anything were to happen. Nozomi turned back to her father and for the first time in many years, locked eyes with him.  
  
"If you can’t accept that then...please leave me alone,” Nozomi bowed, then turned on her heel and took Eli’s hand as the group walked out of the courtroom, feeling like a weight had been lifted. 

 

* * *

 

“D-Did that really just happen?” Eli asked the group in an airy voice. Their shoes clicked against the stone floor as they all left the courtroom ten minutes later. Nozomi had lost track of the time, and was surprised when a glance at her phone told her it was 2:45pm. She held onto Eli’s hand like a lifeline while Nitta chuckled.  
  
“Yes it did.”  
  
“Did you see his face when Nitta-san started the interview?!” Rin bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, holding Hanayo’s hand and beaming.  
  
“Oh please, you don’t need to continue with those formalities anymore, Rin-san,” the lawyer smiled at the apprentice.  
  
“Call me Emitsun, that’s what my roommate does,” she smiled and nudged Rin’s side,   
  
“But those words to Tojo-san after were quite something!”  
  
“All it took was some digging, and look at you now, Non-tan,” Kussun nudged Nozomi’s side with a wink. The younger artist smiled at her former teacher.    
  
Bringing up the rear of the group was Umi. Her hands were in her pockets and her gaze was downcast. She thought about everything that had just happened, but what really struck her was Minami’s face when Emitsun had brought up Tojo harassing his daughter. There was a remorseful look on her face that Umi could not shake from her memory.   
  
“Umi?”  
  
Umi looked up at the voice. She saw Eli peering at her, holding her phone.  
  
“Are you okay? Hanayo is about to call Maki to see if she can pick her and Rin up. Were you going to head home now?”  
  
“Oh, I will probably be going to the daycare to see Kotori and Honoka, but I can drop you two off somewhere if you wish,” Umi talked without thinking, and Eli shrugged.  
  
“I was actually thinking of getting everyone together tonight for a dinner in celebration.”  
  
“That sounds lovely, and it’s still early in the day so we can calm down beforehand,” Umi’s responses continued to be automatic as Nozomi farewelled Kussun with a hug.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Umi spotted Minami walking out of the courthouse. Her gut was telling her to go after her future mother-in-law.  
  
“Can we talk in five minutes? There is something I have to do.”  
  
Eli nodded, and Umi bowed out of courtesy then briskly took off after Minami. 

-

"What do you want, Umi,” Minami didn’t look behind to know who it was. Umi had her her left hand in her pant’s pocket and blinked.   
  
“Minami-san, you were affected by Nozomi’s father’s words, it was very clear,” Umi took a step forward cautiously since the woman still had her back turned. There was a tension in the air Umi felt she could cut with a knife.  
  
“What makes you think that, Umi?” Minami’s voice was curt as she continued to hide her face from her future daughter-in-law. Umi bit her lip, playing with her snakebite, before moving closer.   
  
“As I said, it was visible. Nitta confronting Tojo resulted in you changing your expressions.”  
  
Minami stiffened, and Umi let out a sigh.  
  
“I know you love Kotori. I love her too, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her...Tojo’s lack of affection towards Nozomi upset you, didn’t it?”  
  
Umi’s soft words were shattered as Minami whirled around to face the piercer.  
  
“I love Kotori, she is my daughter, and I would do  _ anything  _ to protect her!”  
  
“Then why did you not approve of her getting that tattoo? Why would you take us to court? Why would you tell Nozomi’s father this?” Umi clenched her fist, desperate to understand. The wind picked up and Minami’s eyes started to water.  
  
“Tojo-san is my b-”  
  
“You deliberately did something illegal because you were not happy with Kotori’s decision, Minami-san. Do you have  _ any  _ idea how that sounds?” Umi cut across the older woman and stood up straight.  
  
“It’s...hard to believe that you would do that...Kotori loves you, and feels as though you don’t love her anymore,” Umi’s face was frozen in a solemn expression. Minami folded her arms and looked away.  
  
“I don’t hate my daughter...I just don’t want her to get hurt, she’s all that I have left,”  
  
Umi took a step forward and clasped her hands together.   
  
“I will not let anyone hurt her. I promise, and…” Umi looked down awkward, playing with her snakebite while she decided on how to say the next part of her sentence.  
  
“You don’t...just have Kotori...I am here for you too, Minami-san. I love Kotori as much as you do, and she is my everything.”  
  
Minami raised her eyebrows and Umi bowed deeply, “Please, take care of me as your daughter-in-law.”  
  
Instantly, Minami burst into tears. Umi straightened up and offered an awkward hug for the older woman.  
  
“I am so sorry, Umi.”

 

* * *

 

Eli had a vague idea how Maki, Rin, Hanayo and Nico had gotten to the café faster than her, Nozomi and Umi had. Honoka and Kotori closed up the day care at their usual time and came for the café with them for an early dinner, while Eli had given permission for Nico to close  _Bibi_ early for this special occasion.   
  
“Alright! I wanna propose a toast,” Honoka stood up on her chair, ignoring the protests from Umi.   
  
“To Nozomi-chan and Umi-chan and Rin-chan for not losing their jobs and going to jail!”  
  
“Honoka, please,” Umi muttered, but raised her glass nonetheless. The nine of them were crammed into the corner of _Floating Heart_ for their celebration. They didn’t have a lot of room, but Nozomi didn’t mind being squished in between Eli and Hanayo.   
  
Her eyes lit up and she raised her glass with the rest of them.   
  
“Also to Emitsun for saving our butts!” Rin raised another glass for the lawyer who had said goodbye to them at the front of the restaurant since she had dinner plans with her family that evening. Umi sighed at the guttural language Rin and Honoka had used, but clinked her glass with everyone regardless.   
  
“And to Umi-chan for not getting her engagement cancelled!”  
  
“RIN!” Umi slammed her fists on the table, but Kotori calmed her down by rubbing her arm.  
  
“Umi-chan, Rin-chan is just excited and tired,”  
  
“Is that not conflicting?” Umi mumbled, and Kotori turned Umi’s cheek to face her.  
  
“Umi-chan, let her be. She’s just happy,” Kotori’s sugary sweet voice was something Umi just could not resist. Kotori giggled and placed a quick kiss square on Umi’s lips.  
  
Hanayo reeled Rin back while Eli turned to Nozomi. The artist looked tired as she silently sat there, munching away on her yakiniku bowl. Her eyes were half lidded and her smile was weak. It had been a big day, and a truck had just dumped a whole lot of emotions on her. Eli slipped her arm around Nozomi and pressed her lips to her temple.  
  
“Hey, you okay?” she said softly so only Nozomi could hear. Nozomi shut her eyes and smiled, her nostril stud glinting in the light.  
  
“Yeah, just tired,” Nozomi leaned her head on Eli’s shoulder and hummed when Eli kissed the top of her head.   
  
“You didn’t see your father when you left.”  
  
“He didn’t make any effort to see me,” the response was a sledgehammer that came down at full force and crushed Eli’s heart. She tightened her hold on Nozomi and instantly changed the subject.  
  
“My ankle is not hurting so much,” Eli grinned, and Nozomi smiled.  
  
“That’s good to hear,” Nozomi lightly kissed Eli on the cheek while Umi asked Kotori the very same question. As Kotori was about to show the tattoo, Rin stood up and pointed at Nozomi.  
  
“Nozomi-senpai! Remember our deal?!”  
  
Nozomi blinked blearily at her apprentice when she turned away from Eli’s gaze.  
  
“Our...deal?”  
  
“Nyeah!” Rin folded her arms and shook her hair from her eyes.  
  
“If we won the case, I get to tattoo you!”  
  
The entire table fell silent. Maki paled and stopped twirling her hair. Hanayo looked from Rin to Nozomi, confused. Nozomi, however, smiled.  
  
“Well, we _did_ win, and I guess I have to hold up my end of the bargain,” Nozomi stated the truth, getting a cheer from Rin. She quickly held up her finger.  
  
“But,”  
  
Rin fell silent, confused.  
  
“We do it tomorrow night. I am far too tired to go under a needle right now,” Nozomi adjusted her seating position as Rin nodded.   
  
“Deal, and I can draw up my little design for nya tonight!”  
  
“Are you _sure_ about this, Nozomi?” Eli looked cautiously from the apprentice who was now talking rappidly to Honoka about possible designs to Nozomi.   
  
The tattoo artist shrugged.  
  
“It’s fine, I’m a woman of my word,” Nozomi then hummed in thought and started to look at her arms.   
  
“What are you doing?” Eli asked, eyebrows flying into her bangs as Nozomi peered down her shirt.  
  
“Looking for room, I don’t have a lot left,” Nozomi then grinned and let out a little cry of victory.  
  
“I found a spot, Rin-chan!”  
  
“Really? Where abouts?!” Rin eagerly asked as Nozomi stood up. She took her pants and moved them down slightly to expose her bare skin.  
  
“I have little spot right here for ya,” Nozomi stuck out her tongue and exposed the front of her right hip. Umi choked on her food.  
  
“Nozomi! It is shameless to expose yourself in public!”   
  
“Umi-chan, relax,” Kotori did her usual job of coaxing Umi to calm down, and Nico raised an eyebrow.  
  
“That’s not a lot of space for Rin to work with, Nozomi,”  
  
“Well Niccochi, take one look at me,” Nozomi gestured to herself while Honoka stood up and went over to the waitress.   
  
“The only other spot I’ve got available are the souls of my feet, the back of my knees, the girls,” Nozomi pointed to each spot and Nico rolled her eyes when the tattoo artist grabbed her own bosom.   
  
“The final spot is my gr-”  
  
“Okay okay we get it!” Nico cut of her friend as the hand moved down her body and towards her nether region. Eli grabbed Nozomi’s hand and pulled her back down into her seat.  
  
“I got more manjuu!” Honoka returned with a plate of confectionary. Everyone’s eyes lit up, but Maki scowled.  
  
“Honoka, you haven’t even finished your food,” the florist mumbled as Nico, Rin, Kotori and Umi all reached out to grab one.  
  
“Umi-chan, why are you taking one?” Honoka smirked at the trap she was about to place. Umi looked confused.  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Why would you take a manjuu when you already have one on your ankle?”  
  
"It's just the kanji, dammit," Umi scowled, falling for the trap hook, line and sinker.   
  
The table roared with laughter as Kotori cuddled Umi’s arm for the umpteenth time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I guess I'll see you when the final chapter goes up next week...Don't make make this harder than it already is, please don't cry then I'll cry and we'll all be a sobbing mess. Just go watch Bambi or something.


	50. Jet Wave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli is gross and Nozomi is not what Rin was expecting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Well, here it is - the last chapter for this story.
> 
> Something I didn’t make clear in the last chapter notes: THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE AU. THE AU WILL CONTINUE, THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER FOR THIS STORY. 
> 
> And with that out of the way, here we go....
> 
> Jet Wave - Orseskaband

For the first time in two weeks, Nozomi actually felt well rested. She stretched out her body underneath the sheets, then swung her legs over the side of the bed. It was Saturday, her day off. She had also given Umi and Rin the option of having the day off, but the response was something she was expecting,   
  
“It has been too long since I have pierced someone. The store will be open.”  
  
Nozomi smiled at the words, and then checked the time: 10:45am. The tattoo artist picked up her sketchbook and e-cigarette then made her way to the living room.  
  
Nozomi had to admit, it was nice to wake up and not feel like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped on her. She sat on the couch with her legs up and started her warmup drawing. Her phone buzzed in her chest, and she pulled it out and instantly smiled. It was an email from a potential client. Nozomi scanned the email, and tapped out a response instantly. Hitting the ‘send’ button made her giddy with excitement that she was to continue doing what she loved. 

Eli woke up fifteen minutes later to an empty bed. She shot up instantly, hair dishevelled and eyes bleary while she scanned around for any sign of her girlfriend. Eli’s grace from years of ballet failed her - she stumbled out of the bed, got her ankle caught in the sheets, and landed face first on the carpet.   
  
With a groan, Eli slowly peeled herself off the ground like a sticker and grumbled something in Russian.  
  
She straightened up and shuffled out of the bedroom into the living room, and smiled when she saw Nozomi on the couch with her sketchbook and a lazy smile on her face. Eli also noticed that the lilies on their dining table were starting to wilt. She made a mental note to tend to them after she tended to her most precious garden in her life.  
  
Eli came up from behind and lightly kissed the artist’s neck, right over the white lily.  
  
“Well g’mornin’, Elichi,” Nozomi closed her eyes as Eli hummed.  
  
“Morning,” Eli then came around the side of the couch and sat down on Nozomi’s left, then started to kiss her bicep.  
  
“You okay there, Elichi?” Nozomi quirked an eyebrow at the affection, and Eli trailed her kisses down Nozomi’s arm, making sure she kissed every single flower.   
  
Nozomi chuckled as Eli’s lips ended at her wrist.  
  
“I’m just kissing your flowers - a kiss from a rose,”  
  
Nozomi groaned and lightly shoved Eli away.   
  
“That’s so cheesy and and wrong, because you’re not a rose,”  
  
“But I am a florist,” Eli grinned, leaning forward again to lock her lips with Nozomi’s.   
  
“You’re a sucker for cheese, that’s what you are,” Nozomi mumbled against the lips, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around Eli’s neck.   
  
Her sketchbook was forgotten on the couch, but like the petals that were falling from the lilies on the dining table.   
  
****

* * *

 

“Elichi, I don’t think we need  _ that  _ much chocolate,” Nozomi smiled wryly at the giant child in front her her, who was cradling four blocks of solid chocolate. With a pout, Eli put one in their trolley and the other three back on the shelf.  
  
“Just because you won a court case doesn’t mean you’re always right,” Eli mumbled, stuffing her hands into her pockets and ignoring the chuckle from Nozomi.   
  
They were out of food, and realised they had not done a proper grocery shop for over a week. Nozomi planned on cooking dinner before getting tattooed in the evening (like she always told her clients,) so that she would have some sustenance to survive the needle.   
  
To her dismay, Eli would be coming with her. Nozomi knew that her girlfriend was going to be a support method, but she wasn’t ready for how Eli might react to Rin tattooing. Eli might be a distraction, even though she knew better than to deliberately intercept Rin’s concentration.   
  
“If I can only have one block of chocolate, you can only have one lot of yakiniku,” Eli pouted and pointed to the trolley. Nozomi raised an eyebrow and chuckled.  
  
“Elichi, our shopping list says that we need this much to make the beef bowls,” Nozomi pulled out her phone for proof, but there was a text message on the screen.

****_Rin-chan, 13:15pm_  
_ Senpai I finished the design! Tell me what u think :3c _ __  
__  
“She’s done already? That’s great,” Nozomi grinned, then opened up the message to look.  
  
Nozomi’s eyes lit up and Eli’s jaw dropped.  
  
Attached a photo of a small chibi cat head with a little mohawk.   
  
“It’s so cute!” Nozomi tapped on the photo to inspect the lines.   
  
“And it’ll work as a tattoo...I’m so proud of Rin-chan,” the tattoo artist smiled at Eli, and upon seeing the worried look on her face, lightly poked her nose.  
  
“Relax, it’s going on me, not you.”     
  
Eli shrugged, not really minding. It was Nozomi’s body, not hers, and she would love her no matter what she chose to get done.  
  
As they approached the checkout, Eli caught sight of a bunch of flowers in boxes. She scowled.   
  
“My work is ten times better than this rubbish,” she wrinkled her nose at the lazy roses that had just been stuffed into a tacky pink box. Nozomi chuckled and linked arms with Eli.  
  
“Yes, Elichi, you are the best florist in Tokyo,” the tattoo artist reassured the florist while leading her towards the checkout. 

 

* * *

When Nozomi and Eli walked up to  _ Lily White  _ hand-in-hand, Nozomi smiled brightly. It was just magical to see her hard work, her baby, still alive and kicking. The lights were on inside, and Nozomi saw the outline of the body piercer through the glass window.

She opened the door and lead Eli inside, and Umi looked up with a bright smile. She was wearing a navy blue bandana and a blue shirt and a black vest.   
  
“Hello you two,” Umi came up to greet them, but Nozomi just pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. Umi, for once in her life, reciprocated the action of affection.  
  
“The shorts make you look like you should be in a ska band,” Nozomi said to the piercer, who tensed up suddenly. Eli chuckled, looking down at Umi’s bare legs, thanks to the shorts she was wearing.  
  
“At least your shoes are closed,” Eli added while Umi squirmed out of Nozomi’s grip.   
  
“Was it busy today, Umi-chan?” Nozomi asked with her hands behind her back. The piercer nodded.  
  
“Oh yes, I had  _ countless  _ clients - all of whom came from that new store across the road,” Umi pointed out the window to  __ Wonder Flight.  
  
“What does that place even sell?” Eli asked, taking off her jacket and slinging it over her shoulder.  
  
“No one told me, it’s just a store,” Umi shrugged, then winced at the clattering that happened behind the counter.   
  
“Rin has been very…productive, to say the least,” Umi folded her arms and let her lips quirk into a small grin.  
  
“Where is that padawan of mine, anyway?” Nozomi rubbed her hands together with glee, and as if on cue, Rin shot out from behind the counter with a huge smile on her face.   
  
“Do you two just dress very casually on Fridays and Saturdays?” Eli enquired, eyeing the baseball t-shirt Rin was wearing and the snapback. Umi scowled, but Rin ignored the comment and hugged Nozomi tightly. There were tears in her eyes.   
  
“I’m so proud of you, Rin-chan,” Nozomi said into Rin’s shirt, and instantly Rin’s breath hitched.  
  
“Thank you, Senpai,” Rin shut her eyes tightly, but her tears prickled at the edges. Eli and Umi smiled at the affection, feeling their throats tightened.  
  
“Anyway,” Nozomi pulled back and beamed at her apprentice.  
  
“I’m here for your handiwork, my dear padawan.”  
  
“You are indeed! I was just setting up,” Rin bounced away to the station with Nozomi’s hand in hers.   
  
“Oh, also Umi-senpai bought along snacks today! They taste really good,” Rin added while Nozomi inspected the station - the tattoo bed was set up and covered in glad wrap, the machine was set up and covered in plastic, and all the ink was in their bottles and ready to be poured into the small plastic cups.  
    
“What was the snack?” Nozomi asked, peering at the set up proudly then turned to Rin.  
  
"Your station is picture perfect," she added, and Rin fist-bumped herself.  
  
“Thanks Senpai! The snacks Umi bought were these sticks of cheese! There might still be some left in the break room,” Rin picked up the sketch from her table next to the bed and showed Nozomi.  
  
“Since it’s going on the front of nya hip, I might have to adjust the size, but what do you think?”  
  
Nozomi observed, her mind immediately going into tattoo-mode.  
  
“This is all fine, but if you make the design  __ any  smaller, you won’t be able to get many details in. Even the tiniest needle won’t catch the flecks in the eyes.”   
  
“Oh,” Rin looked deflated, and then nervously scratched at the tiger on her arm.  
  
“So what should I do?” She looked at her teacher desperately, but Nozomi just smiled and moved her finger around the picture.  
  
“It’s big enough to go on my hip as it is, but if you want to make it bigger, you can get more details. Maybe enlarge it by a centimetre, so it will look like this,” Nozomi then lifted up her shirt and pulled her pants down slightly to expose her hip. Her hand against her skin was only slightly bigger than the drawing Rin had done.  
  
“Good idea,” Rin nodded, then picked up the drawing.  
  
“Are you happy with that size?”  
  
“Indeed I am, Rin-chan,” Nozomi grinned and folded her arms.  
  
“But we both need to sign some forms.”   
  
“Oh yeah, we don’t want to end up back in that wormhole,” Rin chuckled, and Nozomi joined her.

* * *

While Rin got the stencil ready, Umi, Eli and Nozomi stood around the counter, munching on the mozzarella sticks Umi had brought in. Nozomi was finishing off the forms as Eli bit into the stick.

“I didn’t know you liked this sort of food, Umi,” Eli remarked, watching Umi devour her fourth stick.  
  
“Oh, well my tastes in food are not a popular topic of discussion,” Umi shrugged, licking the excess crumbs off her fingers.  
  
“These are really good though, Umi-chan,” Nozomi complimented the melting cheese in her mouth. Umi smiled, and the older girls laughed.  
  
“What is so funny?”  
  
“You’ve got cheese on your septum,” Nozomi pointed, and Umi scowled.  
  
“Again?” She stuck her tongue out to try and get the cheese, and Nozomi chuckled. She was then poked in the cheek by Eli, who had a mozzarella stick in her hand.  
  
“Here,”  
  
Nozomi opened her mouth to eat the snack while continuing to write on the form.  
  
“You made these, Umi-chan?”  
  
“From scratch, it is the only way to make mozzarella sticks,” Umi looked very proud of herself as Rin skidded forward with the stencil.  
  
“It’s ready Nozomi-senpai!”  
  
"Excellent," Nozomi smiled, then signed the form with a flourish and got Rin to do the same.  
  
"You sure you want to do this?" Eli asked Nozomi one final time.   
  
The response was a wink and a smile that blinded Eli.   
  
"One hundred percent sure."

* * *

Rin had Nozomi stand up while she placed the stencil carefully on the hip. The cat sat nicely at the side of the mandala Nozomi had on her stomach. While Nozomi came back from looking at the mirror to give the confirmation to Rin that the placement was perfect, Eli sat in a chair next to the bed.

“So Umi, the wedding is coming up soon,” Eli held Nozomi's  hand as Rin’s tattoo machine whirred to life.   
  
“That is is, I am so excited,” Umi’s small smile came with some fidgeting as she locked the piercing room door.  
  
“It seems like only yesterday I met Kotori, and now she is going to be my w-”  
  
“OW!”  
  
Eli turned back at hearing Nozomi’s cry of pain, but then her face fell when she saw the needle against her skin.  
  
“Nozomi...did you just cry in pain from the tattoo?” Eli did her best to stiffle a laugh as Rin smirked and Umi shook her head.  
  
“Nozomi, you keep telling your clients that the pain is not something to cry over,” Umi scolded as Rin put down the machine to let out a few laughs.  
  
“I can’t believe Nozomi-senpai is a wuss!”  
  
“I am  _ not! _ ” Nozomi whined as she bit back the tears. Rin took the machine up again and continued her work.  
  
“It’s a needle going through all seven layers of my sk-skin how can it  _ not  _ hurt?!  _ Owie! _ ”  
  
Eli chuckled, and Rin stuck her tongue out in concentration but the smile stayed on her face.   
  
“Toujou Nozomi, the greatest tattoo artist in Tokyo who is too cool for school cannot handle the needle herself,” Eli stroked Nozomi’s hand gently, but found it incredibly hard to keep a straight face.   
  
“It’s hard for everyone,” Nozomi hissed and clamped her eyes shut. Rin continued to tattoo, and laughed every time she took the needle off of her teacher’s skin to wipe away excess ink.   
  
Nozomi reached into her pocket with a small whine and pulled out her e-cigarette.  
  
“Hey, I am the boss, and this thing doesn’t stink,” Nozomi saw her girlfriend and co-workers stare at her for the action and quickly supported her decision with facts.  
    
“At least it’s not beer,” Rin shrugged and kept working on the outline. The tattoo was not overly big, and Eli just continued to hold Nozomi’s hand and stroke her thumb while the artist whined from the pain.   
  
“Hang on, Rin-chan,” Nozomi straightened up when Rin took the needle away to get more ink. She repositioned herself onto her side and rested her hand on her cheek.  
  
“Would you like me to draw you like one of my French girls?” Rin smirked the posture. Nozomi chuckled weakly and took a drag of her e-cigarette.  
  
“Draw me like one of your cartoons,”   
  
Eli and Rin laughed while Umi pulled up a chair to sit with them. It was a stupid scenario, and she could not believe the sight before her, but it was nice for things to be back to normal. 

  
Eli and Nozomi (despite one being in pain,) could not be happier with their evening. There was no one to hurt them, no one to bother them, and they were with two of their closest friends. Rin performing a tattoo on her boss was such a milestone and would be going up on her  _ Instagram  _ that evening when it was complete. The florist smiled down at the tattoo artist, who blinked away droplets from her eyes to flash a lopsided yet strained grin up at her.  
  
“I love you, Elichi, thanks for being my squeeze-toy,” Nozomi winced out the affection. Eli beamed and placed a kiss on Nozomi’s lips quickly so as to not move her body too much for Rin.  
  
“I love you too, Nozomi. I’m so proud of you,” Eli responded, ghosting against her plump lips with Umi rolling her eyes in the background.  
  
“We are  _ all  _ proud of Nozomi,”  
  
“I’m also proud of you, Umi,” Eli turned to smile at the piercer.  
  
“You were practically a punching bag for the stress-head,”  
  
“Ah well,” Umi shrugged and crossed her legs.   
  
“ _ Someone  _ had to be level-headed through that nightmare.”  
  
“Well the nightmare is nyaw over and we can keep our jobs!” Rin added, wiping away more excess wink with her curved grin.  
  
“Now the outline is done, Nozomi-senpai, so I can start on the colour!”  
  
Nozomi’s face paled, knowing that the colour would hurt less, but it was still a group of needles against her skin.   
  
“You reckon you can handle it?” Eli squeezed Nozomi’s hand.  
  
The tattoo artist looked up at the florist, and nodded.  
  
“What kind of artist would I be if I couldn’t?”  
  
“You’re doing pretty poorly right now” Umi deadpanned, and Nozomi pouted while Eli and Rin laughed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m not one for speeches, and it’s stupid because there seem to be tears in my eyes, but I have some stuff to say.
> 
> First, I’d like to say thank you to each and every one of you who read this fanfiction. I know I don’t respond to the comments, but I really do read them and appreciate that you took time from your lives to read this. It means a lot to me and honestly is what kept me going to finish this.
> 
> Second, a massive thank you to every artist who drew stuff for this fic - there is nothing nicer than to wake up and see your interpretations of Nozomi’s tattoos or Umi’s piercings, and even the Eli artwork was fantastic!
> 
> Lastly, I’d really just like to thank you guys again for being with me as I wrote this. I know it’s stupid - a wannabe asshole punk turning fictional high-school girls into florists and tattoo artists and day workers, but it warms my little black hole where my heart should be that you guys liked this. 
> 
> So I’m going to take a break from this AU (it’s been encompassing my very existence for six months,) to write some other stuff. HOWEVER, there will be a Rin backstory on the way, along with some other little prompts here and there. If you’d like to keep reading my Love Live stuff, then may I direct you to gaymestop and my newest AU, Grease: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7856779/chapters/17940001
> 
> Until next time, keep your head up  
> Xoxo  
> \- D

**Author's Note:**

> Punk!Nozomi gives me life. If anyone wants to draw her with piercing and tattoos, smoking a cig and drawing then plz lemme know :D
> 
> My tumblr is tarot-tatas.tumblr.com


End file.
